# @hopewdm on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BrnLBo2gfl0
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/16339388-hopewdm-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/801e25be6d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2018-12-20T14:12:55.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** HOPE (@HopeWDM) — https://gondola.cc/HopeWDM

## Caption

In July 2005, my husband Kyle and I met at Immersion, what is now called REVIVE. A few weeks later, we said goodbye at Camp Dodge as he left for a 15-month deployment to Iraq. It was a first for each of us, but we knew quickly that together was the only way we wanted to do life. ‘Together’ for a military family doesn’t always mean being in the same physical location. Thanks to many advancements in technology the distance doesn’t feel quite so far when we are apart from each other or our extended family. 
Likewise, when we moved away, we were able to stay connected to our Hope family through online worship. When we moved back to Iowa almost 5 years ago with our two little girls, we had no idea how much greater God’s plan was for us than our own. But that’s not too surprising. 
Ecclesiastes 3 says “there is a time for everything” and “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” After being a stay-at-home mom for seven years, and only six months after our son was born, I joined the Creative Arts Ministry in May of last year. On November 6, Kyle called me at church to tell me he may be deploying. We said goodbye again early in the morning of December 4, and our children and I continued with our ‘new’ normal daily routine. 
Even though I knew what to expect, I hadn’t had much time to emotionally prepare. God showed up in so many ways through our Hope family over the following months. Hope staff, daycare and school teachers, and friends showed up through prayers and hugs, meals and babysitting, but most importantly through authentic friendship and love. And now that he’s home, we get to experience being a part of this Hope family that has never left our side together again.

You’re invited to as well! I hope you’ll join us in celebrating Christmas at Hope with our family this year!
#PiecesFromHope #ChristmasAtHope

Amanda Mahannah
Creative Arts Ministry Director

## Stats

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- **Likes:** 284
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- **Comments:** 8

## Tags

christmasathope, piecesfromhope

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