•   15 loads of laundry
•   Served 126 meals and 56 snacks
•   Washed 42 bowls, 84 plates, & 154 glasses
•   Brushed little teeth 59 times
•   Washed little faces 73 times
•   And read 64 children’s books

That didn’t count time driving or potty training or the unforgettable moment spent holding a sobbing child because the dog ate his sandwich.

Then Sunday morning all those freshly cleaned bodies got loaded up to come to church, to hear about the plan God has for her life, her husband’s life, and God’s peace that passes understanding. (In their heads peace is that moment between when the children are finally asleep and when they collapse into bed before starting it all over again.)

Belonging to a church is so much more than another event on the family calendar. It is a critical

hour each week when parents can be nurtured with God’s word, while someone else is caring for their children, investing in the next generation and planting seeds, as we teach our young ones what it is to trust in Jesus.

Here at Bethany, we know life is hard, but we don’t do this alone. Because of Jesus, we learn together, grow together, love together and yes, struggle together. You are not alone.