Interview Response--Joanna!

Joanna and her two precious children, Ryan (3) and Rosa
Joy (1)

I'm excited to post an interview from a long-time family friend, Joanna! We were friends with her for several years before her wedding, and I served at the wedding with some friends as a flower girl and stood with the guest book. What sweet memories I have of being with her! She truly has a lovely character. Well, I should let you meet her yourself, shouldn't I? :D

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Question 1: Give us your name (not last name for safety reasons), age (optional), location, hobbies,interests, etc. Basically, introduce yourself! :)
My name is Joanna, I am 25 years young, and live in Fremont Michigan with my wonderful husband Jr. and two children; Ryan (3) and Rosa Joy (1). Some of my interests/ hobbies would be: scrapbooking, gardening, & playing violin and piano. As a mother of two small children though I don't have much time for hobbies though, my days are full of laundry, cooking, changing diapers, kissing owies, cleaning up messes, reading stories etc. I love my calling as a wife and mother, these are busy days, but when my sweetheart comes home and says: “the house looks good”, or after a day of feeling like a failure as a mother I hear my little boy reciting Psalm 23 to himself, I know all my effort is making a difference.

Question 2: How did you become born again?
On the evening of my 16th birthday I gave my life to Jesus. I had grown up thinking I was saved because of a sinner's prayer I said when I was 3. I had no memory of it, but that's what I'd been told. After a several month struggle in my heart, I saw how lost I really was and asked the Lord to take control and change me.

Question 3: What is your current walk with the Lord like?
There are ups and downs. I feel like when I look back 9 years I see God has helped me to grow alot, when I look at my walk day to day sometimes I wonder if I'm getting anywhere. Just in the past few months I've really felt like I gained some victory in the area of forgiveness though. That is exciting.

Joanna (with a helper!) playing the piano.

Question 4: How do you help and serve your family?
“I can change my world one diaper at a time, if I serve with love this child of mine.” That is a small poem that God gave me one day when I was struggling with finding joy in the mundane tasks of motherhood. Being a wife and mother is all about serving my family, my goal is to do it with a happy heart.

Question 5: How do you serve others?
Serving others is something I struggle with knowing how to fit in during this season of my life. Seems like I need help myself, and I'm not able to extend much help to others. Sending cards and letters is a way I like to encourage others. I try to look for little things I can do, I can't go spend the day helping a busy mom clean her house, but I can share some of our extra garden things with a friend.

Question 6: What are some of your favourite things?
I like riding bikes, bonfires, hanging wash on a summer day, kittens running in the grass, children's laughter and a good chat on the phone with a friend.

Question 7: What are some of your struggles?
I struggle alot with thankfulness. I tend to see the bad in a situation first, rather than looking for the good.

Question 8: What encouragement do you have to give?
Everyday is a gift. Enjoy the moment you are in right now, don't miss the beauty of today clinging to yesterday, or wishing for tomorrow.