One Last Entry....

For the coming year, i am no longer going to keep this blog, but i wanted to write a little bit of summary of this last year. I am going to copy this blog into a book , so i mainly write this entry for us as a family. We wish all of you a very Happy NEW YEAR and pray, as we do for ourselves, that it would be one of great JOY and Growing affections towards CHRIST.

Year 2006 has been so full that I truly don't know where to begin....but what year hasn't been full for us Stewarts?! Since me and Stew got married 3 years ago, it has been one adventure after another! From trips to other countries, children and jobs, to new friends and old friends and more lessons than we could learn. Truly, we have lived in much. But this year, 2006, we started unsure of what the year would hold and looking back in hind sight, we are amazed.

This January, we became a part of a small group with Hope with 2 couples we desired to know more. And began a time that would change our lives forever. We met every Thursday, food, kids and all. What started as a time of hanging out, changed quickly to a place where we spoke into each other's lives. It wasn't a time of "being friends", but acting as believers. The Albrechts and Hoffs quickly became our "new family" that we would depend much the rest of the year. We also got to visit the Crawfords in Mexico and experience great fellowship and encouragement!

In February, Stew continued with his masters degree online and went to California for a class while wesleygrant and I visited Grandma Marie in Columbia, SC. We got to meet with some missionaries from China and Mrs. Dannelly and I got to lay, late at night across her bed laughing at the tapes her brother sent from England singing old hymns with a recorder in a strong English accent!

From March until early May, I continued working at Hope Preschool and watching my little baby, grow into a little boy. I found a deeper passion for training my children in the Lord as I anticipated the arrival of our daughter, "Sarah Marie". Stew worked at Hope Church learning what it meant to have influencial leadership rather than positional leadership and had so much fun with the missions staff.

Our home front in the inner city continued to show more need than we could fix, but my great friend and neighbor, Laura Pinkstaff and I continued to pray and seek to show the kids and some adults that Christ was all that mattered. Laura, did we ever figure that out?! Matt and Laura officially announced, "We are going to India!". Laura and I began preparing for that in so many ways, for both of us, as well as our families connecting deeper as we prayed and walked through that journey with them.

Late March started us on an unexpected round of interviews with one church after the other. We were open, from Chicago and California, to Indonesia and Thailand. Austin, Texas was on our radar, but it was very dim and we weren't sure if that was a road we would even have opportunity to walk. So we just prayed.

Stew's heart and passion for "church planting" and "disciple-making" began to take a whole new light of thinking and God began to plant in his heart, what would lead us, as a family, into what we like to call, a time of "detoxing".

I finally made it through morning sickness and started to feel like a new woman. I continued discovering what it meant to be a wife and mom, a neighbor, teacher and friend. Soon, on May 12, I would learn what it meant to be a daughter.

On Friday, May 12th, Michael got a phone call from my dad. My mother was in the hospital and they had run tests for a blood clot and found Cancer all over her body. That morning, i had an OB appointment and that afternoon, we were on our way to Texas. That next week, i would say, was one of the most powerful weeks of my life this year. I watched my mother go and be with the Lord, while trying to discover myself who God was in it all and how to be a daughter in those final moments. God's mercy, grace, almighty powerful, sovereign hand. That is what I found. A lot came into perspective from all those years i struggled as a daughter. Creator, Maker, Life- Sustainer, Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer, Lord and King, Beginning and the End....I Am, I Am...this was my mother's God.

So we returned to Memphis but i was different. We were all changed. I felt a bit lost. Preschool had ended and i was soon to expect my daughter. Wesleygrant was in need of many changes as he went through many changes himself. I was put on bedrest due to much of the stress. That was hard. But best. Matt and Laura began selling things to leave for India. Stew continued with job interviews and we all struggled to just maintain life there. We continued to pray. My new friends, quickly became great friends in my life that i needed and i was thankful for those God had placed in my life, just a few months prior.

Our daughter, who was once, "Sarah Marie", became "Sally Marie Stewart" after my mother and grandma Marie. On July 2nd our daughter was born. Thus, I became a mother of 2. Parenting brought more meaning now and also more challenges. Many times i was breaking down...many times i was rejoicing. but we continued on in our Memphis world seeking to know and rely upon our Great God.

August came, then September and before we knew it, the only job offer on the table was from the one we least suspected...Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX. It seemed to be the place God had been preparing us for and so we began packing up to move. But it was a fast and difficult thought of leaving all of our relationships there in Memphis. But on October 9th, we left and arrived in Austin October 12th to our apartment.

We have spent the rest of this year here in Austin. We have discovered wonderful things and things of loss. It has been both good and hard. We left our friends, house, neighborhood that became like home to us and have come to a place where we feel very "foreign". Sally and I went back to memphis to say goodbye to the Pinkstaffs in November...to say a final goodbye to memphis. It was official, we were now fully moved to Austin.

Wesleygrant turned 2 years on November 14th and already amazes us with counting to 10 and saying so many words. He is growing more into a little boy. He had his first fall and emergency room visit that we are glad is over and all is well. Sally is no longer a little baby. She is eating solid foods and well on her way to crawling and playing with wesleygrant. Our children have been a GREAT joy in the midst of all the change.

Stew and I are rediscovering what it means to be a Christian, through our losses and our gains. We have discovered that we have been somewhat deceived by many false ideas about life and what it means to be a disciple of Christ. We desire to be like our Rabbi, Jesus Christ. We have experienced much oppression and depression here, but this is part of our journey...part of our "detox". God is greatly showing Himself in things we wouldn't have expected. We are amazed at the need we have for our Lord. but Praise God for that!

I came through thanksgiving, a birthday and Christmas without my mother. I'm still figuring out feelings i often can't express. But this Christmas, we began new traditions with our children...ones we hope to make better or take away, making our home one that exalts Christ above all things.

Stew continues to respond to the stirring that God brings about in him through his masters degree, new friends and the task of being a disiple and making disciples. i am SO PROUD and THANKFUL for him. He is my hero and example of Christ this year in so many ways.

So as we prepare to enter this new year, we are very humbled because of where we are and where we have been this year. We look ahead with great anticipation and hope. We pray that this year would be one of seeing Christ in a new way in all we are and in all we do. We can never prepare for what is ahead, except to keep our eyes on Christ and not on ourselves. May we see Him more than ourselves this coming year! All praise and honor be to our Lord, our Rabbi, our Saviour who set us free and called us into a life with Him now and for eternity. God, make us beggars.

To Christ,
Stew, Kimberly, Wesleygrant and Sally

Well, our Christmas card this year did not go out, but we managed to take a somewhat decent picture this week with the kiddos actually looking at the camera! So we'd like to share it with you all and wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Love,
Stew, Kimberly, WesleyGrant and Sally

Merry Christmas!!!

The Crawfords came to visit us!! We were absolutely overjoyed!! The girls were hilarious and wesleygrant and sally loved being with them! We are hoping there is at least one of the girls for wesleygrant! =) We love you guys!!

It was a "College Life Reunion" in Austin! We went to the Trail of Lights with the Appletons, Dennis', and the Dodsons Tuesday! They are all here in Austin! So fun and pretty crazy to see us with all our kiddos! There were 7 kids and one on the way with all of us!

Today, me and some other moms along with all our kids made some christmas cookies, an ornament and ate lunch together.....(most of the lunch being cookies!)....it was fun. Wesleygrant had a great time and was enjoying his high on sugar until he crashed in the car on the way home! One of our fun events this week...more to come!

So, we found a new hat!! Wesleygrant loves hats, as we all know and so we were eating at a mexican restaurant sunday and aunt Jenny gave him a new hat! He already had a hat on...of course, but he insisted that i put his new mexican hat on top of the other hat....So funny! Thanks Jenny for the hat! It continues to be a hit!! What would we do without hats?!

Thankful for Doctors and Husbands!

It has been a week of chaos! First Stew was sick, then I got it and was throwing up sick on our 3 year anniversary, But Stew took extra special care of me and the kids while i got through it. Finally, our first emergency visit yesterday...Wesleygrant hit his head on the coffee table and busted a hole! seriously! in his head! It was crazy! but, we got through it with the help of some medical professionals and 6 stiches....we expected it to come soon and i'm sure a few more will follow...Wesleygrant was very brave! All is well today and thankful for husbands and doctors....

Austin has what is called, "Trail of Lights" at Zilker park. It is a huge tour of scenes with decorative lights! It makes a great feeling of christmas, as it is nearly 80 degrees!! here in Austin!!

There is a really fun park here that has a TRAIN!! We got to ride on it a few days ago and wesleygrant LOVED it! How fun is that!

Today we started our Christmas Calendar and talked about Jesus being our king, so being that Wesleygrant loves hats, we made crowns...and of course, Wesleygrant wanted Sally to have one too.....and we attempted to put them together to take a cute picture, but i think this one portrays our life a little better! Nothing is picture perfect!! This picture is so hilarious to us, because it captures both of our kids as they are.

It was emotional for Stew and I to begin these traditions of Christmas with the kiddos today...how precious it is to train a child in the Lord and to give them the truth about life. May we all begin to focus on Jesus, our King as the Christmas season begins.

Sally is starting foods and doing great! Yeah Sally! We are so proud of you!

Our Sweet Sally!! She adds such a sweetness to our home! We love you Sally!!

A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!!!

This is a blanket made by a woman who was saved by grace through faith in Jesus. She lives in India. She once was a prostitute who had no hope, but now she has THE hope. In fact, she and 2 other women came to know Christ through a ministry called, "WORD MADE FLESH" and they have been taught to sew and make these blankets. It tells her testimony of redemption. My friend in Memphis sales the blankets for these women and has a huge heart for India. They would be a great christmas gift if you are looking for one!! They are $48 plus shipping. Email me if you want more information!

This is a new tradition we are starting this year. My friend Laura gave us this christmas calendar. You start it on December 1st and you take a new piece of the nativity scene each day and slowly tell the story of Jesus' birth. There is a verse and short piece of the story to tell your toddler or young child each day. By Christmas a nativity scene is built! you can get these calendars at www.desiringgod.org It is a great way to celebrate and teach what Christmas is about to our children.

So, we are back home and getting ready for Christmas! We started decorating and wesleygrant (and his love for hats) found the santa hats and thought he and sally should put them on.

We were able to go and visit the place where my mother is buried. Though the grave, reminded us of our loss, yet it reminded us of our mother's gain...as John 11:25-26 says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live....whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." It reminded me that this is not our home as believers, but a journey...that heaven is our home. Our time was quiet, but we all were touched by the memories of my mother, as they silently filled our minds. As wesleygrant ran around her grave, not knowing and sally cooed in our arms, i remembered the time at my mother's bed side in her last days when we talked about her influence in me and my brother and how she taught us about Christ. I remember her telling me that, that was all that mattered. And I promised her that I would teach my children that. My mother's life gave so much and her testimony will effect generations to come...even those she did not know.

Thanksgiving was fun with many cousins and grandparents! We were thankful to be able to be with family this year.

The Fruit of A Disciple

John 15: 5,8,9,13

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing......By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love....Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends....."

We are studying the book of John at church and I am having a huge shift and conviction in my heart. For so long I have opperated thinking that it is all that "I do" or all that "is accomplished" for God, through me, that is the "fruit in my life"...proving that I am a disciple of Christ, but the fruit Jesus is talking about here is LOVE. WHAT?! YES. It is our love for one another...or love for our enemies...or love for the unloved, that shows the world that we are His disciples and who He is. And the laying down of one's life does not mean dying here....but living. It doesn't mean laying down your physical life but giving away your living life for others. And that is IMPOSSIBLE to do without Christ.


This has been so profound to me, I can't even write all about it here. That simple truth has absolutely been changing my whole thinking! This doesn't mean that God won't be doing things through us as believers, but it isn't the proof that we are believers. We are seeing preachers and believers left and right falling from the faith here in America. Why are we shocked? because they look like they have so much "fruit". Big churches, ect...ect...but that is not proof someone is a believer. Love is the fruit we should look for. There are movments taking place in China and India as believers are loving Christ and therefore loving one another and others. They are being persecuted and have no buildings, money, resources..ect. They are abiding in Christ and loving....their fruit is love and many are coming to Christ because of it!!

As I think about my children and loving them, modeling love for them and teaching them love, that no longer takes the backseat in the "moral training" category, but it takes front seat as the first and foremost important thing I want to teach my children.

As I have been faced with this great truth about our lives as believers and LOVE, I look to my mother for a real example. Me, my brother and my dad can confess this the most as she layed down her life for us for 32+ years. She loved us unconditionally. She always forgave, suffered long, was kind, did not envy nor parade herself, was never puffed up, never behaved rudely, did not seek her own, was not provoked, thought no evil, did not rejoice in sin, but always rejoiced in the truth, bore all things...all circumstances handed to her, believed all things, hoped all things and endured all things. Paul could have easily been writing about my mother in 1 Cor. 13.

My mother had many evidences in her life that she was a believer, but when she got diagnosed with Multiple Schlerosis and it took all ability to "do things", her love remained. She was no longer able to go overseas, lead a bible study, go to church, read her bible, be some "great" professional woman in this world, cook a meal or do laundry at the end of her life, but she loved. She was known for her love.


I pray that I can be like my mother...that in the end when I stand before the Lord, as my mother did, that he would say, as I know He did to her, "Well done, Kimberly, my servant." And it will be because I loved, not because of the things I did. And I loved because I abided in His love. I loved, because He first loved me. That I loved knowing that God demonstrated His Love toward me, in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. (Rom.5:8) I pray that my children will be like their grandmother that they will raise up as a new generation that is known for their love.

So, we had lunch, watched Barnie, played with the balloon and train set all afternoon, then it was time for the fun part! CAKE!!! Stew showed Wesleygrant how to eat his own cake and well, by the look on Wesleygrant's face, i guess we can say we had a pretty successful day of birthday! Happy birthday, son!! We are SO PROUD of you!! And love you so much!!!

Then the party began!! Uncle Jason and Aunt Jenny came by to wish him a happy birthday and got him a TRAIN! He was so excited!!

Even though it was his birthday, he had to take a nap, but he got to sleep on his new Thomas the train pillow! And just as i was shutting the door, he said, "mommy....dddd dora!" So, yes, i let him sleep with the Dora cereal box from breakfast...without the cereal, of course! My little "Dora fan"!