It is hard to believe that May 27, 2011 marked the one year anniversary for Foundation Restoration receiving its official 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization status. Like with most things these days, that time has flown by. But as I take a few moments to ponder the past 365 days, I find myself feeling incredibly blessed at how far God has brought us and where I believe He is taking us in the days and years to follow.

One year is a relatively short span of time in the grand scheme of things. Yet a lot has happened with Foundation Restoration over the course of this brief period of time. For starters, it’s incredible that we received our 501(c)(3) status. It was a giant leap of faith for my husband, Steve, and I because we really knew nothing about the application process. What we did know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was that it was God who was prompting us in this direction. So, we were obedient and jumped head first into the pool of faith. God met us there.

Since being made official, we spent most of the last year setting up our new website, which we finally launched May 2 – 13 of this year. It was exciting to get some amazing guest contributors on board for what ended up being an inspiring two weeks of articles, interviews, and giveaways. The response to our new site was extremely encouraging, and we were so excited that the launch of the website was really the launch of the non-profit itself.

Besides getting the new website up and running, we have been working at making a lot of our other dreams and goals a reality. On May 20, I spoke to a group of women in southern Florida on How to Make Your Marriage Thrive!  That opportunity was extremely thrilling for me, and I loved the positive feedback I received from my audience. As more inquiries have started coming in about booking me to speak, I am thrilled for the chance to share my heart, passion, and hope with people everywhere.

The new website, major growth in our social media, website traffic, and subscribers, speaking engagements, lots of new features and resources, growing donor support, exciting partnerships with other companies we believe in, and more and more stories pouring in about how our ministry has touched lives are all just the tip of the iceberg. Our next big step is building our financial support to a point that we can acquire an office to provide professional services to our community. That’s a huge goal of ours that we have had on our hearts since day one. We believe it’s possible through Christ and the generous support of our readers and supporters.

Every day is a step of faith. Each moment of this journey has required unwavering trust in Christ that He will provide a way when there seems to be no way. It’s exciting to look back over the last year and see that He has done just that. The fact that we are able to celebrate one year as a non-profit is in and of itself a testimony of God’s faithfulness and goodness. Then when you add everything else that’s been accomplished throughout the year, it’s undeniable that we are right where God wants us to be.

As we head into year two, it is beyond exciting to think of the possibilities for our ministry. One thing that everyone should know is that I am extremely passionate about our mission to restore the very foundation of society – marriage. I am grateful for the opportunity to minister to individuals and couples in this different facets! It’s an honor, and I am so appreciative that God has given me this chance! One of my favorite verses is found in 1 Timothy 1:12, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him.”

Has this journey been easy? No! It has taken a lot of blood, sweat, tears, work, prayers, long days, restless nights, passion, tenacity, patience, and nearly three years to get to say, “Happy 1 year anniversary Foundation Restoration!” But as we commit our work to the Lord, we know He will establish our plans (Proverbs 16:3). He already has, and as I thank God for this incredible dream come true, I enthusiastically await the future!

A side note while I am reflecting on this past year, I want to thank my incredible husband for all he is and does! Not only has he been instrumental in enabling and aiding Foundation Restoration to exist and function, but he is my daily inspiration. Being blessed with him in my life has truly given me the hope and motivation to encourage everyone out there that they too can have an incredible, loving, fulfilling, and thriving marriage.

Additionally, thank you to our families for being so supportive in prayer, encouragement, and finances. They have been a God-sent, and their constant belief in our vision and ministry has been key to our success. Finally, thank you to our fans, readers, and supporters! You are the reason we do what we do. Thank you for your kind words, stories, loyalty, encouragement, and feedback. To those of you who have stepped out to support us financially – a special thanks to you because we literally could not exist without people like you standing up to show your appreciation and belief in a tangible and imperative way.

Blessings to each of you! We are excited that we have one year under our belts and many, many more years to come. May God use Foundation Restoration to bless you abundantly!

Blessings,

Ashley McIlwain

Founder & CEO, Foundation Restoration

* If you are looking for ways to get involved, here are some ways to get started:

  • Check our website out daily for special articles, resources, blogs, and information.
  • Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop! You will receive a monthly newsletter, updates on current news, notifications when new articles are posted, and more!
  • Make sure to visit our Foundation Restoration Facebook page, “like” us, and check it out daily for Quotes of the Day, updates and most current news, links to all of our articles, and more!
  • Follow Foundation Restoration on Twitter! There you can also gain access to our Quotes of the Day, links to our articles, information, and special tips throughout the day.
  • DONATE! We NEED our fans and supporters to donate to our cause. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we rely heavily on donor support to be able to keep our doors open, so please consider a tax-deductible financial gift today!
  • Spread the word! Tell everyone you know about us, our website, our Facebook page, our Twitter account, and why you love us.
  • Host an event! If you are interested in having our founder and CEO, who is an author, speaker, and marriage and family therapist, Ashley McIlwain, M.A., speak at your next event or gathering, please contact us with the date, general information/details, location, etc.

Copyright © 2011, Foundation Restoration.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No reproduction allowed without written permission from Foundation Restoration and/or the author.