day one.

Today, Mr. Bargeron will meet his very first students on his very first day as a math teacher at Dorman High School. His ministry begins as he tries to love the children (side note: that sounds so weird considering that I still consider myself a child) the way that Christ has loved him. His co-teachers are going to love working alongside someone who is so dedicated to everything that he does, the boys are going to want to be just like him, and all the girls are going to have a huge crush on him (don't worry, I'm sending my mug shot with him today, too, so they all know that his wife is cray-zee).

I ask that you join me in praying over him as he enters into a chapter of his life that he has never experienced before. Pray that his butterflies would lead him to embrace the Father's peace instead of avoiding a would-be miracle. Pray that John 13:35 would become his motto as he tries to love everyone he'll meet the same way that Jesus has loved him. Pray that doors would be opened for him to shine the light of Christ even in the darkest of times. Pray that excitement would overwhelm him so that he smiles all day long. Pray that his beautifully humble heart would be on display for all to see.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Dorman High School will never be the same. They don't know how blessed they are about to be! I can assure you that Mr. Bargeron will be loved + cherished by everyone who walks through his classroom door.

#HPBNJBdoLIFE

Today, my best friend moves to Dallas, Texas for the next three years. My heart is overwhelmed with so many emotions, but excitement is the strongest one. I can't wait to cheer her on as she chases after Jesus by following His lead, and I have no doubt that He is going to use her to blow this world up with His gospel. I'm going to miss seeing her several times each week, but I'm pumped for potential road trips to Texas being in my (hopefully) near future; that's right, #HPBdoDALLAS! I'm going to have to get use to the time difference, but I know we'll have established hour(s) to sit and chat. Five years ago, when we first met, I never knew how much I would love + cherish + praise our Father for our unlike-any-other friendship, but now that I do, there's nothing in the whole world that could tear me away from it. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and I can assure you that we'll be proof of that.

In honor of her departure + our last #HPB night for quite some time, we ventured downtown to dine at Tupelo Honey Cafe followed by dessert at our favorite ice cream shop. Yep, you guessed it: Kilwin's. Then, we cozied up on Jacob + B. Davis' couch to just be. We talked + laughed + reminisced + prayed + cried + started picking dates for our road trips. It was a full evening, one that I'll thankfully reflect on for a long, long time.

P. Sawyer, you are anointed by the Spirit of the Living God, and I am confident when I say that the enemy doesn't stand a chance with you working against him. Thank you for your faithfulness + your grace + your trust + your tremendously huge heart. I'm already counting down the days to when I'll see you again, and I'll be in a state of constant prayer over you + your journey. May your soul be at peace + your feet follow along the path of Christ + your tenderness be used to transform the lives of those around you + your relentless supplication continue to be the most selfless piece of who you are. More than anything, may you never doubt for a single second that you are loved beyond your wildest dreams.

wishy washy.

Ladies + gentlemen, meet the newest addition to the Bargeron Bunglow! Ahh, washing dishes will never be the same again.

voila!

...and just like that, our backyard is clean again! Only now, it looks bigger than ever. We had some really great helpers, and we even played a little bit; don't worry, there'll be documentation of that soon enough. Y'all better get ready, because now that twenty-fourteen is here, Teesh won't be wasting much time at all getting his new man cave up!

nfc south.

Documentation of the time we got to have a fifth-row seat to watch the Panthers claim victory over the Falcons thanks to the generosity of Santa Claus. The perks of being on the nice list are pretty awesome, indeed.

Can you tell this handsome fella was happy as can be?

twenty-fourteen.

The love of Christ. That's what I want people to know this year. Through my words, my actions, my thoughts. The news He brought was good. So good, in fact, that no other news comes close to comparison. The Good News is that Jesus came to seek + save the lost (Luke 19:10). You. Me. All of us. Not only that, but He became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of our God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus received the will of the Father, kept His eyes on Him as He spoke truth to the enemy's lies, and accomplished what He was sent to earth to do: bring us back to our Maker.

My prayer for twenty-fourteen is that all of us who bear the name of Christ would be intentional in loving everyone we meet. That our faith would produce fruit, the kind of fruit that invites others to desire to bear it, too. Love + joy + peace + patience + kindness + goodness + faithfulness + gentleness + self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). For the glory of God and the salvation of every nation. Let the sick be made well through the grace of Christ made evident in the lives of all of us who confess Him as Lord + believe that He has been raised from death to life by our merciful God + repent (Matthew 9:12-13 + Mark 1:15).

Friends + family, let this be the year that Jesus becomes your greatest + most precious desire. He's going to show out even more this year than He did last year, and I can't wait to jump + yell the whole time.

Happy new year to you from the Bargerons!

waking up.

Santa + Mrs. Claus visited us at the Bargeron Bungalow again this year! We left them cookies + milk, and woke up to goodies in our stockings before the sun came up. We were blessed with much more than we deserved, but my most favorite part, as usual, was waking up next to the best man ever created. I'm tellin' y'all, every day is like Christmas with Teesh as my husband. We were both spoiled, and our hearts were overwhelmed with love from our Father. Each year gets better, and I have no doubt that next Christmas + next year will be even more consumed with His favor.

Farewell, twenty-thirteen. You've been better to us than we hoped you'd be, and we're grateful for every blessing you sent our way. See ya soon, twenty-fourteen!

Love,

t + a