Life as Levi Joel: A New Year and New Season

Happy New Years to all! It's been a while!

It's a new year and a new season in the Lopez household! The big bumps of our ride these past years have started to level out a little, and life have started to find a rhythm. With the rhythm, my TCK (third culture kid) side is kicking in, and the itch to travel has begun! I am stuck right now in the in-between phase of a big move and transition. We are past the excitement and adventure of discovering a new place(and thankfully, past the hardship of facing major surgeries and setting up home in a new country all at once) and not to the point of feeling we have deep roots in the Dallas area. For me, this is always the hardest and most uncomfortable place of transition in some ways, but also a good place. It's a place that chases me back to the arms and security of my Father when I long for deep relationships and true community in a way that just takes time and work! Thankfully, although life changes, we change, and circumstances change, He truly never does!

Many have asked us if we plan to stay in the Dallas area now that Joel's main surgeries are done with for the time being. For now, yes. We feel the pillar of cloud and fire that led us here hasn't left yet, and we see doors opening up for us to stay. We are especially thankful to be in a place where we can go often to visit Marvin's brother, Javier, who has been in jail for the past 11 years, and we believe that God has planted us here to be close to him and encourage him during this time in his life. He has also been a tremendous encouragement to us in our faith as well!

We are also grateful to be part of our church body, Cristo Rey, here in Dallas. Marvin is starting a new part-time job with our church this week and will be leading a Bible Study outside of church for Spanish-speaking immigrants in the area. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve. Please pray that God will continue to change our hearts and use even our short-comings for His glory. Pray that He will continue to teach us what it means to love like Jesus loves and share His good news of salvation with the people around us. Pray that we can be vulnerable and real as we continue learning what it means to lay our lives down and take up our cross.

In the midst of new challenges, goals and a new season, day to day life with Joel and Michayla continue to be one of the biggest jobs entrusted to us-striving, and sometimes blindly struggling, to shape their little hearts and teach them the ways of the Lord. It is a joy to see them growing and changing. This past week, Michayla randomly asked me, "Mommy, are we in Jesus's presence right now?" When I said yes, she said, "Then Mom...if we are in His presence, why do we complain in His presence?" I was taken aback! Was this profound thought really coming from my just-turned-four year old? I have thought a lot about her question this week. If we truly lived remembering every second that we are in His presence, if we truly feared Him in all of our ways enough to care that we sin in His presence, how would our lives be different? I love this little girl so much! I struggle daily to lay down my life for her, and God uses her daily to convict me and expose the areas in which I deeply struggle! She is truly a gift! We are like two peas in a pod in a lot of ways-two strong personality peas! We are pretty inseparable, yet we have to ask one another daily for forgiveness! When I ask her what I'd ever do without her, she tells me I'd just have to "cry, cry and cry" all the time!

Joel is making big strides with his therapy! This past week he pulled up to a stand at our coffee table for the first time! He is gaining strength and making some big steps towards walking. He is also becoming way more comfortable with gravity and slithered all the way under the coffee table on his belly for the first time today! It has been a slow process requiring hours and hours of working with him and pushing him each week, but he continues to head in the right direction! We are grateful for the therapists that come to our home weekly to work with him and grateful to see results coming from the hard work! He is advanced with his fine motor skills which seems crazy considering his sweet little fingers! He is also smart beyond words! We are grateful to see our little boy, although behind in some things, understanding, learning, and thriving! He is obsessed with cars just like his daddy and obsessed with his daddy as well! The next steps in his medical care include: continuing to meet with his ophthalmologist and possible eye surgery, another sleep-study to screen for obstructive sleep apnea again and continuing to work on physical, occupational and speech therapy each week. Please continue to keep him in your prayers!

It is crazy to think that the month of January is almost over! Another year and another month. The passage I have had on my heart for this year is Proverbs 4:25-26: "Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in your ways." There are clear tasks at hand. As we put our hands to the plow, we pray that the Lord in His grace will help us to maintain steadfast as we seek to follow Him.