Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While we were not able to join you for the festivities that make up Thanksgiving, Molly's favorite holiday, know that we were with you in spirit. While you were putting on elastic pants in preparation for your bountiful feast, we too donned our battle-attire in anticipation. While you rehearsed in your head what to communicate to your grandparents about your life trajectory, we also provided very vague answers over Skype as to what we will do after our Ireland adventure ends. While you feasted on a bird most fowl, the fabled turkey, we slaved over a hot stove to make what has become a delicacy for us: Mexican food. And while you reminisced for the days of the 1992-1995 Dallas Cowboys team, we reminisced on how great the tv show "Friends" is. Thanksgiving is indeed a magical time.

And so at last, as y'all gradually awake from your Thanksgiving food comas, I thought I would take some time to update y'all on the happenings here in Enniscorthy.

Meet the interns!

You guys have no idea how excited I am to tell you about this! One of the greatest ideas that we got during our Sabbatical in August was to create a role for young adults in college who wanted to serve and volunteer in Alive Church. Thus the Internship was created. For the past several months these 6 incredible men and women give of their time to lead the youth group, children's ministry, and worship ministry with us all the while being full time in college! They have each bravely said "yes" to Jesus, giving their all to the advancement of the church in Enniscorthy. These 6 have taken our church into a whole new level of ministry with their passion, service, ideas, and leadership. Molly and I are so proud and privileged to work alongside them. John, Amy Jade, Emma, Nicola, Erica, and Mary: y'all are the best!

If you are faithful in the little...

What has blown me away about all of this is how as the interns sacrifice, pour into the youth, and serve in the most basic of tasks, they are growing at such a rapid rate at the same time! While they lay their life down for their church, God Himself is teaching them, maturing them, and building an even deeper relationship with them. It is almost as if they have entered the fastlane of spiritual growth. Isn't it crazy how God works? One of the primary ways that God matures us isn't just before we are given responsibility, but while we are given responsibility. God equips us for the adventures that we jump into. Just ask anyone who has gotten married or had a child; you can prepare all you want, but some things you can only learn on the job. When we are faithful with the little menial tasks of serving others that God has entrusted to us, God gives us an ever deepening relationship with Him and then gives us even more responsibility. It is a continuous cycle of increased responsibility and increased dependence on God. Just like David, these interns are learning how to become men and women whose hearts beat to the rhythm of God's heart. It is the most incredible thing to watch, and it give us incredible hope for God's mission here in Enniscorthy.

Birthday visitors

About a week and a half ago I turned 25. Recently, with the holidays fast approaching, I have been missing home in a real way. So God provided the best birthday gift I could have ever asked for: my wonderful parents came to visit for a whole week! Now, I know what you are thinking, "I can imagine a thousand things I would rather have for my birthday, James, somewhere along the lines of one of those two-wheel electric scooters." However, if you know my parents, then you know whoever they spend time with gets lavishly blessed and then some. It was incredible getting to see my parents again, show them around Ireland, and get to talk deeply about the things of life. And best of all, I actually got to physically hug them EVERY SINGLE DAY. I am so thankful for my family and I cannot wait for the next time they get to come visit us.

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend everyone!