Hogan Family New Years Letter
Dearest friends and family,
We been reassured lately that every good thing in our life and family has come from the hand and heart of God and often times passing through the hands and hearts of you—our family and friends.
We are marvelously helped from without and within. Victoria (15 months) is a true miracle, she came out breech before the midwife arrived and reminds us never to settle for defeat. Victoria is one who enjoys showering us with baby hugs, kisses, and smiles.
Ava (3), with the hair she has left after giving herself two haircuts in three weeks, reminds us to rejoice in what we have, and not dwell on what we have not. :-) She is full of life as her name denotes.
Benjamin (5) is a delight to his mama and papa and is eagerly learning to read this year. He enjoys spending time with his older brother Josiah who is presently training him to take over a few chores as well as build forts in the woods.
Olivia (7) is our daughter whom we bless with peace in her heart and grace on her lips. She teaches us as parents to not lean on our own understanding but to discern the deeper needs and follow God’s ways of parenting. She has begun the task of vacuuming our new guest room above the garage that had to be rebuilt after the tornado in March.
Savannah (8) has been in training for dishwasher duty, which you can imagine, is a major task in a household of ten people. She is developing her skill as a artist and a storyteller. We are often told by friends how amazed they are by her ability to look them in the eye and tell a good story. She is a true animal lover and tries persuading her daddy of the need for pets ??? she did persuade him to get a hamster for her birthday.
Josiah (9) has lifted his daddy’s load many a time by doing a majority of the yard work; he is weed eating, mowing, and is learning to use a host of tools for odd jobs. He has been honing his skills on the scroll saw and now a jigsaw he received for Christmas.
Sophia (11) shares a new bedroom with Savannah and speedily folds laundry and does her other chores so she can practice on her assortment of musical instruments. It seems she truly has a gift for playing a variety of instruments and learning songs by ear.
Emily (12) had a special blessing ceremony this year for her passage into womanhood. We invited many friends and family members to a blessing ceremony we had on Grandma and Grandpa Hogan’s newly rebuilt back porch and gazebo. It was truly a time of rejoicing to see what God has done in her life. We were all blessed as we reviewed her life and the great potential that lies before her. She is a lover of children, a wise keeper of our home and we are always encouraged by her diligence and self-sacrificing ways.
Chris is working with the Advanced Training Institute International, a home school organization dedicated to strengthening families and building the foundations of many Godly generations. Chris’ passion is working with men who want to become noble men and make noble plans to succeed as a person, partner, parent, provider, and proclaimer. He is doing this by developing the Life Role Seminars and by doing Life Role coaching.
One of the greatest treasures we have enjoyed through the last few years in our new endeavors is that we have had the opportunity to meet some really wonderful families as well as renew long time friendships. Through the Life Role seminars and many other conferences we’ve been given the opportunity to coach many courageous conversations among couples and parents with their children. We thank so many of you who have prayed for us, and the families who attend. Because of your prayers and the power of God, we get to see first hand the reconciliation and restoration of marriages and families that were at the end of their rope. We will begin to train Courageous Conversation Coaches in January who will then be able to multiply this ministry of reconciliation. Thanks to each of you for encouraging us in amazing ways to be and do all Goad has called us to.
This new year may the Lord bless you and strengthen you with His Spirit, may Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, granting you the understanding of the height, depth and width of His love so you may be filled with the fullness of God. May you be noble men and women who make noble plans and by noble deeds produce fruit that will stand the test of eternity.
With great fondness and admiration for all of you who have contributed so much to our lives, thank you for sharing your lives with us. We have been greatly enriched.
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Chris and Anne Hogan
Emily, Sophia, Josiah, Savannah, Olivia, Benjamin, Ava, and Victoria
Posted by Chris Hogan on Dec 29, 2006
