Reyner Christmas Letter

December 2014

(written by guest blogger Linda Reyner)

Grateful!  What a great year we have experienced as we have watched major transitions for each of our children.

Chad & Christy: In May, as the possibility for church planting did not work out, the church where Chad was doing his internship offered him a position on staff. He now serves Crosspoint Community Church in Clemson, SC as the Discipleship and Missions pastor. They bought their first house in June and moved in August. They are also expecting our second grandson in January!! Grateful they are only about 5 hours away at this point!

 Scott & Mary: They became engaged in July and were married on November 23! We had a wonderful weekend celebrating them and what the Lord has done! Thankful Shay has been able to marry all 3 of our kids! Scott is teaching 7^th grade math and working part-time in the kid’s ministry of Summit Church. Mary is an Occupational Therapist at Duke Regional Hospital and they are living in downtown Durham! Grateful they are close by! #emptynestersagain

Tucker & Danielle: Last spring they decided to move to Wilmington to be part of a new church plant.   They moved in June, found jobs in July and August (yes, that stretched this mom’s faith!), and are settled in now.   Tucker just finished his 3^rd semester at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary – he is taking most of his classes online while working in a coffee shop in Wilmington. Danielle is working in a doctor’s office and they are involved with The Bridge Church.  Grateful they have jobs!

John expresses my heart exactly: (3 John 4) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. With so many comments about pastor’s kids, we are grateful that all of our kids and their spouses are walking with the Lord and serving him through the local church. Shay was asked recently what will have made him happy when he is 80 – and quickly his answer was having left a legacy. #Hegetstheglory #GRATEFUL #blessedbyall6ofthem

This was a memorable year for Shay and I also. Shay has now been in ministry for about 31 years out of our 33 years of marriage. He got his first sabbatical this past summer!!!   GRATEFUL!!! We have actually been talking and planning this for several years. We left in June and traveled Italy for 3 weeks and Switzerland for 1 week. We came home and left 5 days later for a family week at Sunset Beach (with my sisters and their families too)– clearly needed a vacation to recover from the vacation! So many memories (ask me about the Matterhorn and the lessons I learned on top of the mountain!) –such an amazing trip.   We met friends in 3 cities, Shay’s wallet was stolen on day 1, and we walked and ate A LOT! Would I go back or do it again – ABSOLUTELY!   Before we were married, Shay promised to take me to Zermatt, Switzerland – one of his most favorite places. It just took 34 years for him to keep that promise – and through the rain of those days and the mountain-top encounter with the Lord it has become one of my favorites too (and one of the most amazing pastries I have ever eaten, maybe worth a trip back just to get one of those )   #ifitrainsinZermattteatpastries     (really GRATEFUL Shay’s kidney stone attack came after we returned – he had surgery in August and is doing well now!)

GRAYSON: Can’t even begin to describe the joy he is. Yes, grandparents are really obnoxious and I didn’t understand that until he was born. He just turned 2 and is a delight. He fills our hearts and lives with so many things we didn’t even realize we were missing. Anticipating #2 in January and all he will add to our lives.   #loveeveryminutewithhim

Shay and I continue with our same positions: Shay is Discipleship Pastor and I am a middle school counselor.   Grateful for our jobs and the place the Lord has us right now.

Grateful most of all that in the 1970’s the Lord called us both from darkness into His light and allows us to be called His children. We celebrate Him this season and each day.

#GRATEFUL

Much love,

Linda and Shay