(Link to the free 8x10 download available here.
The one above is printed on kraft paper from
Hobby Lobby, but the file is black and white.)
How do you explain that every thing from now on will be different? So much different than we ever imagined.
Knowing that through the peaks and valleys and changes and unknowns of the past few years, that we will be leaving the church that we have called home for the past fourteen years. It has been our community, our family, our ministry. The place where Joy was mourned, and Halley, Lucy, Janey, and Shane were dedicated. Where Halley and Lucy were baptized. Where I imagined we would stay forever.
God's plans are not our plans, and through each and every moment he has been at work, preparing us for what is ahead.
We will be planting a new church in the new year.
It seems surreal to even be able to say that.
The thought has lived in the abstract for so long, now that it is a tangible reality, I am overwhelmed. Undone by the sheer honor, responsibility, and enormity of it all.
It does not feel safe, and I like safe.
I however serve a mighty God who does not.
A God that is good in spite of who we are. In spite of our fears.
In that promise we walk forward in the calling He has placed before us, with the beautiful blessing of the church that has been our home and our history.
We have a lot to learn and a lot to do. More than anything though, we need prayer. Would you consider praying for the road that God has set before us? That we walk it well, in His time, and for His glory.
I am excited to share this story as it unfolds, it is a story I never imagined playing a part in, yet cannot wait to turn the page.
it would be a privilege to pray for you! we planted a church 4 years ago and felt many of those same feelings. it has been a wild and crazy ride. somedays we swear we are done and others, when people are coming to the lord for the first time, we have tears in our eyes, trying to figure out why god chose US to experience this. prayers and blessings!
ReplyDeleteWe are in our 2nd year of planting our 3rd church. What an adventure it's been! I'm so excited for you and your family as you answer the call.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying for you.
xo
What an exciting new adventure for your family! We church planted in South Dakota 6 years ago, it was a beautiful, amazing, humbling, radically life changing time for us. It was hard, and we were unsure of everything, but seeing God's faithfulness time and time again has changed me forever. What an honor it was to be used by Him in that way. I am on the other side of where you are. We actually just moved back home to Texas to be closer to my husband's family who needs us due to their health, so we handed the leadership of the church to our associate pastor and we are excited to see how God uses him to continue the work. But my heart is still there, I understand now what it was like for Paul when he left the first church he planted at Philipi and the love that spills out of his letter to them in Philippians. That's how I feel how the church we planted… it will always be apart of me. The people will also be dear to me. So yes, I will pray for you!!
ReplyDeleteNow you leave us with a cliff hanger. Yes, I will be praying for you!
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family on this journey!
ReplyDeleteYou and your family are in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I, too, am a lover of comfort and safety, so I can only imagine what you're feeling. GOD IS SO GOOD! Praying for your family.
ReplyDeleteI will be pryaing for you and your adorable family.
ReplyDeleteWe planted a church 19 years ago - and we are still there. It's quite the adventure -- cheering you on!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Trisha
Oh Julie! I am thrilled for you. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteSuch exciting news - and a million other emotions, too, I'm sure! Praying God's grace and direction and timing and comfort and every other little tiny thing that you need! Know He has such big plans in store...God is good! Excited for you!
ReplyDeletepraying for you and cheering for you from NC! thank you for sharing. God is faithful and good.
ReplyDeleteI will SOO be praying for you! We are church planters in Utah. Just finished year one! It's a wild journey but one that you get a front row see at God's work. I can SO relate to all your feelings! Will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a church planter kid . . . and my dad said before we leaped into this journey that in church planting the HIGHS are extremely HIGH and the LOWS are extremely LOW. So true. It'd love to connect with ya. I don't post on my blog much on our plant just because of our area where we are planting but their is a link on my blog to our plants website. OUr plant is called THe GreenHouse. www.thegreenhouseutah.org
Love to hear where you are planting and who you are connected with; a church planting organization or a specific denomination or a plant off of a church etc.
Forgot to tell ya I'm good friends with Megan D. too - i know you two are friends.
ReplyDeleteExciting (but scary!) stuff! Anxious to see the road ahead of you! Wishing you many blessings and PEACE! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally understand--- we are at a very similiar stage/situation and it's not how I had planned the next 18 years (until we retired from teaching)... So I'll totally be praying for you guys!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I planted a church almost 3 years ago and it has been the scariest and best adventure of my life! We have the coolest stories of God providing for us financially and feeling like we are getting to cherry pick on God changing lives. There have definitely been hard moments too but so worth it! Here is my unsolicited advice... ;) Be so prayed up. We got a group of 30 people to commit to praying for us regularly during the start up time. We have never experienced spiritual attack like we did right before officially starting on this church plant. But I know that the amount of people praying for us and us praying a ton helped us navigate through the darkness. Also there is a book I am almost done reading that I love and think every pastors wife should read. It's called The Church Planting Wife (Help and Hope for her Heart) by Christine Hoover. Great stuff in there. So excited for you guys and praying for all things to fall into place!
ReplyDeleteI am excited for you! My sweet friend Shannan once said to me "run to the crazy, because that's where Jesus is..." and I can't get it out of my head. I imagine you both doing great things for the Lord. Can't wait to watch it unfold.
ReplyDeletechurch planting is one of my favorites! my husband and i were apart of a church planting launch team in st paul 8 years ago. it's a crazy awesome ride. now in ministry we're working with our third plant helping them get off the ground. we love church planting and have big hearts for it! praying for you and your family during this awesome season!
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