Symanzik Family Update

Ben and I think there is a sermon in these broken boards...

a message about how God can use the broken pieces of our lives to build His kingdom...

about how perseverance leads to the goal of His high calling

about how sometimes, often times in the struggle there is a wounding

like Jacob and his hip, like Paul with his thorn in the flesh
but in the end is triumph!

Philippians 3:13But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

blowing out candles

dad and sons computer programming

friends and family!

Ben is 11 today!
May he continue to grow in God's wisdom and grace, becoming a man after God's own heart, seeking first HIM and HIS kingdom all the days of his life.

You are a blessing, Ben!!!!!!

First day of school nerves were firing this morning....
Mikayla starts her senior year of high school!

Kirsten starts her freshman year of high school!

Ben starts 5th grade!

James is staying home and doing some preschool with me!

Pray for our kids to run their races well, to fight the fight of faith, to seek first HIM and HIS kingdom all the days of their lives, to apply their heart to instruction and their ear to words of knowledge.

School starts August 1 for our kids.
Our summer has been a time of readjusting as a family to a 'new normal' after 4 years of caring for our special needs son, Jerard.

Ben and James now share a room.

We tore down the extra bedroom we'd had built for Jerard and James to sleep in.

with the extra bedroom gone, we now have a larger common
area for desks and computers.

We've taken trips to the beach to relax, play games and enjoy times in God's nature. The ocean is very healing.

Our kids have said "see you later" to friends leaving for furlough and college...

James has been extra attached to Tigger and in need of more cuddles as he processes his grief over his brother....

Here are some photos from the past few days of relaxing before school starts!

Thanks for continuing to pray for us!