Hi!
It's been quite a while since I've written on my blog. Life has it's seasons, doesn't it? In this season of our lives God has my husband and I starting a church (also called planting a church). I'm writing this today as the planting pastor's wife.
God has been at work preparing us for this work over the last 15 years. In fact it has been in his plan even before we were born. About 45 years ago God led a small group of pastors together to pray for the Fox Valley of WI. One of those pastors happened to be the father of a pastor that the Lord brought into our lives right before we got married. A pastor who has prayed for us, along with his wife, every day for the past 15 years! Those prayers helped guide us in our relationship with the Lord and at the proper time God then moved our family to the Fox Valley (to read the full story of a bigger plan click here). It has been amazing to see God recently reveal this bigger plan to us!
God has walked us through many valleys that have opened our eyes to our utter dependence on Him in all things. When He shared His plan with us to plant this church, God promised to provide all that will be needed. In the midst of this journey he has also reminded us to always remember that our allegiance is to Christ and not to the task, and to never let the work of our hands become more important than our relationship with him. Christ is our most important relationship. Every other relationship flows from it.
Relationships are very important to my husband. As we have stepped out in faith to begin this church, we have had to raise funds in order to get it started. It has been one of his least favorite things to do. He never wants to hurt a relationship by asking for financial support. He has stepped into it though trusting God, and God has been faithful! In May he began to work part-time doing construction and part-time church planting. While it has been good to have 2 days/week to focus on planting the church it has also been hard as his time and mind have had to be divided. So we have been praying everyday for God to provide a transition into full-time church planting.
During our process of discerning if this was the will of God to plant this church we had other offers from churches to come work for them. As we discussed our options I said to my husband, "I will go to these other churches if that's where Jesus is leading us, but the question that is heavy on my heart is 'What about all the people HERE?' " To which my husband replied, "I've been feeling the same thing". God has given us a love for the people here and a desire to care for them spiritually!
This past Sunday our radio alarm went off and at that very moment a man giving a message said, "IF YOU ARE IN THE WILL OF GOD, GOD WILL PROVIDE, AND HE PROVIDES THROUGH PEOPLE".
We need people! What a reassuring word from God to us that he will provide as he said he would. God's focus is always on people, and so that's where our focus is also. In order to love the people well and shepherd their souls, we need to raise support. God has put before us a God-sized vision and it can only be accomplished through His power and through God working through the help of other people! We can't do this alone. God is allowing us and everyone who supports Village Community Church, an opportunity to be a part of a plan that is bigger than ourselves! What a thrill! We are so excited!
Our goal has been for my husband to begin focusing his heart and mind full-time on church planting and building relationships (which he loves) by SEPTEMBER 2016. God has provided many material goods and financial support already! In order to reach our 3 year goals, support needs to continue to be raised. If you would like to help make this possible and be a part of something bigger, please click here. This will take you to the church website for more info on ways to give.
Thank you so much for your part in God's plan to build his kingdom! Thank you also from our hearts to yours!!
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