We arrived in Niagara Falls, Ont., to begin our first year of ministry as a family 443 days ago. It’s hard to articulate how many emotions and discoveries that number represents. We had no idea what life was going to look like. As Salvation Army officers, we have the freedom to grow together in ministry—to invest in our marriage and our children. After all, God called us as a family, didn’t he?

I’m pregnant with hope right now. Which is weird. Because, well, things aren’t so good on a global scale. On the way to a conference recently, I had a frank conversation with my Uber driver. She’s not so hopeful. She talked about the horror of the shooting in Las Vegas and the hopelessness she felt about the American political system and the results of global warming on the world, and lamented the fact that she chose to bring children into this god-forsaken place. But all the time she was sharing, as I listened to her pain, what I felt was hope. Which is weird. Why am I feeling hope at a time that seems so perilous and hopeless? And that’s when it hit me.

The Reformation was a reforming of the Christian church. It was about getting to the heart of what the Christian good news is.

God isn’t afraid of our questions.

Why I’m ditching significance for surrender.

Remembering the first Thanksgiving in North America.

Among the lessons we learned in the early years of officership was the importance of volunteers and community engagement in the mission of the Army. Not only did it impact our lives, but it exponentially increased the capacity of the corps to make a difference.

Four pitfalls to avoid as a new officer.

Thriving? Vibrant? Energized? How would you describe your corps as you ramp up for rally day and the new year ahead?

I don’t know what my curly-haired, mud-princess will be. But I do know she’s learning that the dreams the Holy Spirit has placed within her can take flight.