Happy Birthday to My Bride, Erin

This is a guest post by Michael; well, actually, it is a "sneak-attack" post, since Erin has no idea I am writing on the blog.  It is Thursday evening and she will probably see this tomorrow--which tomorrow, Fri the 30th is Erin's birthday!!!

So.......HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!!!!

Now let me tell you all out there in blog land--Erin is quite a wife.  In fact, I firmly believe that when the author of Proverbs 31 was writing about the wise woman--yup, he was talking about Erin E. Lyons.  Aside from God saving me, redeeming me, and bring me to himself through Jesus--Erin is the greatest thing God has brought into my life.  I am grateful and thankful for her love and unwavering support she has shown me over the last years together.  Prov 18:22 fits Erin well: "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." Truly, God has bestowed grace upon me for allowing me to marry such a gracious and godly woman.

Over the past year, God has grown Erin and changed her more in the image of Jesus Christ.  I can testify as her husband that God is working in her life.  The evidences of grace in her are far too numerous to write, but just to give you a hint of the blessings I get to live with each day:

• After working hard each day at school, Erin serves me by making dinner
• When I have a particularly stressed time at school, Erin serves me extra well and finds ways to ease my stress
• Erin loves me and forgives me when I sin against her
• When Erin suffers, she looks to Jesus
• Erin serves other people even when she herself is hurting
• Erin displays the gospel to the world in the way she lives out her role as a wife, modeling biblical womanhood. 
• Erin is always trying to grow in God's word, seeking out times of prayer and reading

Now, I could go on and on and on...and I am probably making my beautiful wife blush right now, because more than anything I am amazed at my wife's beautiful humility that she displays every day.  A husband is allowed to boast right??

Happy Birthday, Erin! I love and cherish you more than you will ever know.  Thank you for preaching the gospel to me every day.
Love,
Michael

 
My dad is coming today with some guys from my home church for Together for the Gospel!  We are having Hungarian Gulosh for dinner!  It should be fun times as they guys are excited for this amazing Gospel Driven conference.  Me- I just get to feed them and work since it is Tuesday thru Thursday.  :)  Oh well- somebody's gotta work. 

And the winner is...

After almost TWO years researching PhD schools, applying to them, and waiting..........

we have decided where we believe God is leading us to go next in our ministry...
God is calling us to minister and grow at....

HEBREW UNION COLLEGE (HUC) in Cincinnati, Ohio- Where Michael will study Hebrew and Old Testament!!!

Thanks for all your prayers, advice, and patiently waiting to see what happens next! We certainly never thought we would be going to HUC, but God made it very clear that we are supposed to be at that school. It is very humbling and merciful to think that God would provide us with a full ride and stipend to study God's word. There are still unanswered questions about the future, but we are confident that God will provide as we lean and trust in him. 

Looks like at the end of July we will be packing up and leaving our sweet Louisville and heading to Cincy for the next season of our lives.  The Lord has truly blessed us as Michael received a full ride and stipend and we will live in an apartment in Cincinnati in a small building owned by Michael's parents.  Praise the Lord!