Friends and Family

I just got back last night from 10 days in Indiana. It was such a great time visiting friends and family. Rachel and the kids are still in Nappannee hanging out with her parents until June 23rd. I had to go to the grocery store today and felt completely helpless. I was on the phone with Rachel the whole time asking what to get and where to find it. I am such a loser...ha! I could spend so much of my time writing about how much fun we had and how great it was to spend some quality time with our family and friends but that would take way too long. I will just say that I deeply cherished the time we spent with family and friends and that we miss them all so much. I'm thankful for family and friends who love us so much that they pray for us, feed us, house us, invest in us, and believe in us so much. That gives us confidence and encouragement as we press on towards the goal carrying on the mission of Jesus in Eugene. It is often difficult being so far away from family and friends, especially when we have such good relationships with one another. If you are reading this post, please know that we love you very much and we are so thankful for your prayerful, relational, and spiritual investment into our lives and into our new church. We covet your prayers so much and consider you all very much a part of what we are doing here in Eugene. That's all I have for now. I just wanted you all to know that we had a such a great time seeing everyone and have many special memories from our time back home again in Indiana. I will post some pictures of our recent trip home when Rachel and the kids get back!

Clint

Recent Events...

We've been having fun with our friends!
Jael's Birthday


At the Dunes


Picnic in the park

Random thoughts!

I haven't written lately so I just wanted to say hello to all those that read this blog somewhat consistently. My family has been here now for 5 months. I can't believe how fast the first 5 months have flown by. Looking back, I am really amazed at how much has happened in that time. For starters, our family has met some really neat friends who live in our same apartment complex. There are 5 little children, including Elias and Jael, under the age of 4 that play all the time together, when it's not raining of course...ha! I have found my hang out spot where I study and have formed good relationships with the staff there. I just started my new part-time physical therapy job last week and I'm hoping I'll meet some new friends there. Our church family is continuing to be intentional in building friendships and spending quality time with each other and our new friends. We continue to gather on Wednesday nights to study the Scriptures and pray. We are beginning a study of Mark 1:14-18 and spending the next 3 months discussing the gospel. Our church has linked up with a Kingdom minded ministry in Eugene that works with the poor and homeless and have been able to join in to what they are doing for the 'least of these' in Eugene. That's just a snap shot!

I am very excited about how God has moved since we've been here, yet I know that we have much room for growth, namely in the area of prayer. Why is it that we talk so much about prayer but have such a difficult time actually praying? At least that's the way it is for me. I really think God is lovingly forming us into a praying church during this season of our church plant. Not that we don't pray, but that we live and understand the mission out of an overflow of prayer. That every decision we make and every relationship we're in is bathed in prayer. Prayer that God would lead us by His Spirit. Prayer that God would continually prepare our hearts for the mission. Prayer that God would soften the hearts of our friends. Prayer that God would open doors for us to share the gospel. Prayer that God would give us courage to walk through the doors when they open. Prayer that we would never be ashamed of the gospel. Prayer that God's Kingdom would come, that God's will would be done, in Eugene as it is in Heaven.

I think being on mission is becoming all things to all people (1 Cor 9:22-23) but if that's not led by the Spirit and bathed in prayer, then it is devoid of God's power. Being here for 5 months now, I can say with 100% certainty that we NEED God's power to plant this church. I might have known that intellectually before I came, but I'm understanding it experientially now. I'm just thankful that God is patient enough with me in the process. What an amazing God we serve!

Clint

Roots

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water,
that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when the heat comes;
it's leaves are always green.
It has no worries in the year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8

Oftentimes, when I find myself in a bit of a drought, I waste a lot of time in my own mind, in wonder, and in fear. I sit and wait, expecting an "ah-ha" moment to magically enter my thoughts. And, God is gracious enough to plant those thoughts, even in the midst of my distrust; but, sometimes I don 't recognize or receive it. I have recently found myself in this position. I've been sitting and waiting for an "ah-ha" thinking that it would come from my own thoughts and will power. At last it came. My big "ah-ha" moment came as a subtle reminder that being consumed by my own thoughts has never done me any good---perhaps I should seek my guidance, hope, and instruction from the Bible! AH-HA! God always speaks there, right?!

So, yet again, I have begun to seek rather than sit. And, the verse above is what I received. I suppose we've all found ourselves in some sort of drought. It can be so many different things and come in so many different ways. However, what's the same is that in the middle of the drought, God remains. He continues to have a plan; to pursue us and remain faithful. No matter how dry and desolate circumstances may seem, God is hope. He has always and will always remain a God of love and provision who truly desires the best for us all. He is trustworthy.

Beautiful blessing

I am someone who has been involved with church stuff ever since I was a baby. Started to get more involved during my high school years and I continued to be drawn to Jesus in college, which leads me today. I started to get involved with a house church (hc) with Common Ground. I stayed with one group for 3ish years and saw a lot of people come in and out of it. It was a really good place for me. For the past month or so I've been thinking about my experience in hc in Indy and my experience so far in eugene. How do you combine those two things?

For the time I was in my hc I was really focused on that group. I was going to college and still had my college friends, but slowly I started to spend a lot of time with my hc. But I think I started to get a little too comfortable in that space. And God started to direct me elsewhere. My time with my hc was what I needed during that time and season I was in. It was not a waste. We need to be in community with people who love Jesus. But I think back to those times and then think of where I am now.

I'd love to see my new friends join us for Wednesday and worship with us. My heart desires and aches for that. But I know I am not in control of that (thank goodness). I know that I need to sometimes be uncomfortable and love people that are not always like me. I loved my hc in Indy, but I need to branch out more then I did back then. I need my community, all the eugene team, but I need my friends outside of it. I realize how comfortable I get if I just focus inwardly. So it's a balance. I could not survive with out the eugene team fighting for me through prayer and support and I could not see the raw beauty of God like I do in my friends that don't follow Jesus. I would miss out on a lot of beautiful moments only God could orchestrate.

So my prayer for all of us is to step outside of our "group" and get to know some people who are not like us. When we do we will be absolutely amazed at who Jesus is. I learn so much about Jesus from the people who aren't involved with "church" and/or "religion". I know that God has comforted me while I've been out here in eugene by using my friends who are not involved with "church". That puts tears to my eyes just thinking about. I wish I could express to you just how much that means to me. What a beautiful blessing.

Much love,
Stacie :)

Easter Weekend

This weekend we had a cookout at Alton Baker Park and invited friends from the library, running group, work, and where ever else we've met people. This is a time we would normally be with family so it was fun to have a bit of the mid-west with us... even if it was just cornhole and wiffleball. It was fun to get people together to eat and play. Sunday morning we got together and had communion at one of our service sites, aka- Clint and Rachel's apt.

The beauty of a child!

So I just need to take a minute to brag about my children. I hope you don't mind me doing so! A few weeks ago Rachel and I and the kids were eating lunch. Rachel and I were having a conversation about theology and the church. Elias began talking when he heard us talking and so we asked him what he had to say. And he said, "I think God died so he can rescue people." I about started to cry right then and there. I can assure you that Rachel and I had not said anything about that in our conversation at that time. Since then, I have written Elias' quote down and put it on our refrigerator like any good parent does...ha! It's so beautiful when a 3 year old gets the simple truth of the Kingdom of God. Maybe that's why Jesus said we must change and become like little children in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

Now, I don't want to leave Jael out. For the last few weeks our church has been navigating through the Lord's Prayer. So Rachel and I began reciting the Lord's Prayer with Elias each night before he went to bed. Elias picked it up pretty quickly and can recite it easily now. But Jael would often times be in the room when we would practice it with Elias. She is beginning to say a few words now but we didn't think she could say what she did one night about 2 weeks ago. We were getting ready to say our bedtime prayers with our children when Jael began reciting the Lord's Prayer. She got all the way through 'give us today our daily bread.' Again, I think I about started to cry. Rachel and I couldn't believe it. We didn't even know she had been listening each night as we practiced the Lord's Prayer with Elias. Well, 2-3 days later she recited the entire thing. Unbelievable! The funny thing is, she doesn't articulate the words real well, but I know exactly what she's saying. In saying that, I'm pretty sure I sound the same way when I pray, and I'm grateful that God knows exactly what I'm saying.

Our family and our church are doing well in Eugene. We would continue to ask for you to pray for our church. Please be asking God to draw hearts to himself. Please pray that we would be sensitive to his leading and that we would live out the words of 1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)

Clint