From where we started to where we are is so far apart that I can only dream of where we are headed. After nearly a decade of life together, after so much heartbreak, brokenness, loss and failures it's hard to believe that we are are still standing, much less believe that we are actually thriving!
We have gone through so many seasons together already, but this one is by far my favorite. Stepping away from the expectations of the world and the trying to measure up to society's standards. Stepping fully into living a life that is pleasing to God and watching everything about each other, our marriage, our family and our friends change. I can honestly say that the Lord pursued us unwaveringly and without ceasing. I can honestly also say that His love for us has created a love in us for so many others...hence this life we are building and sharing and truly living out unapologetically.
2024 has shown us so much and as we are quickly rushing into 2025 I can already see how much more is in store. While my dream of massive market gardens and feeding the thousands has changed what it looks like dramatically this year, the desire has only solidified. Market gardens are being replaced with beautiful and productive homestead gardens. Pig breeding has turned into pork production and running thousands of birds year round has slimmed down to only hundreds a couple times a year with some of our friends and homestead community. While my heart has always been in the right space, I had blinded the Lord's plan with my own vision and it failed epically. And I am so thankful it did.
So as we celebrate another anniversary, another trip around the son as husband and wife I am simply grateful. Every area of our life is being turned over to the Lord. We are learning to take ever decision to Him first. We are building this farm and our lives around the plans He lays out before us. And we are growing closer and closer to the Father, and in turn so much closer to each other. We are taking every area of our lives and doing our best to be an example of the love and redemption of the Lord for anyone and everyone around us. We no longer focus on what someone else is doing or what we wish we could have; we truly are just grateful for what has already been placed in our hands.
So as we wake up tomorrow and begin the first day of the next leg of our journey of building this life together I simply pray that we never forget where He brought us from and that we always strive to make every part of this farm dream so wrapped up in Him that we are no longer seen. I pray that as we embark on launching the next phases of this farm that we always remember to glorify God and each other in every way. I pray that as we continue the refocus that we are not only able to teach others how to care for the earth and their bodies; we are also able to be a light that the Holy Spirit is able to use to teach them how to truly care for their souls, the only thing that really matters.
Happy anniversary to this amazing man, husband, father and farmer! I am forever grateful for the blessing of you!
May the soil be fertile, the harvest be bountiful and the farmer never grow weary.
Farmer Mandy
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