40 Days and Nights

Dearest Desi,

We have been waiting for 40 days now for the travel approval to come. We are still confident in His will and the fact that we know you will be home so soon.

40 days is just Biblical. Desi, it symbolizes God's fulfillment of His promises. His love is a promise. His grace. His mercy. His everlastingness.

Noah dealt with the rain for 40 days and nights.
Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years.
Christ was tempted for 40 days.
He was on earth for 40 days after His resurrection.

In honor of this 40 days and our dream of you coming home, we have come up with a list of 40 pieces of wisdom combined from all 3 of us. In our lives...just the things we have come to learn to live by.

1. Be kind to others.
2. Put your clothes in the hamper.
3. Pray everyday, and for everything.
4. Try and stay on mom and dad's good side.
5. Have good manners, always be polite and say "Yes ma'am" and "Yes sir".
6. Don't talk when mom and dad are watching the news.
7. Take care of the animals, they are the Lord's creation.
8. Never be afraid to dream big.
9. Don't talk to strangers. Stranger danger is for real.
10. Obey your parents. Sometimes they really do know what they are talking about.
11. Put the Lord first in your life. When all else fails you, even us, He will not.
12. Share with others. Always be generous with everything you have. It's only temporary.
13. Let the light of Christ shine in you for the world to see. Make them want to know what it is that brings you so much joy.
14. Brush your teeth every night before you go to bed. Nobody likes a cavity.
15. Sisters before misters. Before you think about boys, make sure you have girls that can be your best friends.
16. Keep your hair and hands out of your mouth. It's just gross.
17. Sometimes it's hard to come by in our family, but use common sense.
18. A little bit of diva never killed anyone.
19. Respect others. Remember you must always treat them like you hope they'll treat you.
20. Don't be afraid to be a little crazy sometimes. Dance in the rain. Sing in the shower. Belly flop off the diving board. Make a mud pie.
21. Tanning beds are bad. Stay away. And that's a rule.
22. You will never have to convince a boy to like or love you. If a boy tells you he doesn't like you, move the heck on.
23. Don't hit or kick anyone on the playground. Or one of us. Unless hit first...but even then...just evaluate the situation.
24. Always remember you are beautiful in our eyes. And in His. Inside and out. Beautiful to your core.
25. Bake cookies at grandma and grandpa's house. They are just quality people.
26. Let Pawpaw teach you how to drive. He is the best. And the most patient.
27. Never go outside without permission. Those cows back there could get you. :)
28. Don't let a goodbye get drawn out. It'll only make it hurt worse.
29. If you believe in something, stand true to that. Don't be afraid of what others think. The greatest in history didn't do the easy things the world asked them to, they walked the narrow path the Lord asked of them.
30. Always put the dishes in the dishwasher. Never put grease down the sink.
31. Don't be discouraged by the boys who stick around for a while then leave. Someday, the Lord will bring into your life a boy who will stay. Who will put up with your craziness, your strengths and weaknesses. He will be a man of the Lord. Just like our dad. Never forget, there will be the one who stays.
32. Always wear clean underwear.
33. Let people know you are thankful for them. Sometimes your encouraging words could have a more profound impact than you ever imagined.
34. Whenever you need something, come to us.
35. Don't gossip. Don't say harsh words about others. Guard your tongue. (We are preaching this to ourselves right now as well)
36. Treat the Bible like one big love letter from God. Because that's exactly what it is.
37. The best piece of advice our dad ever gave...never go to bed mad at someone.
38. Remember those less fortunate. Burden your heart for the poor, the needy, the orphans of the world.
39. Always look for a sale. Never buy something for full price.
40. Fill yourself up with love. Love for Christ. Love for your family. Love for life. And seek the Lord for all you need, because He is the only one who will be able to fill you.

Always and Forever
With all of our Love,

Devan, Jordan, and Jenna