Thanks so much to everyone for your encouraging words on my last post. I am doing okay, really. And while I say that church planting is hard, it is rewarding and wonderful too! I hope I didn't give anyone the wrong impression!
We had a really, really nice weekend. We were able to get out for a few hours on Friday evening with some friends (the owners of the facility where we meet for church). It was such a nice time. They are a fabulous couple with lots to teach us and who are very encouraging to us also. We had David's birthday party on Saturday. He has never had a birthday party with friends, so he was excited. We invited the kids from church that are his age, the kids in our neighborhood, and a friend from soccer and basketball. We just had a party at our house. I will upload pictures as soon as I find the cord to the camera. It's been lost, which is frustrating! It was great to have our neighbors in our home, as well as our other friends. It was nice for them to meet each other as I keep praying for our neighbors to attend church. Now they will know more faces than just ours. A couple of the neighbors who we have really been trying to build relationships with did not come, but the others did.
We decided to build David a sandbox for his birthday. Our backyard is not really big enough for a swing set, but it is big enough for a sandbox, so Brent worked on that all day while I prepared for the party. It was nice to have a day NOT doing church stuff and accomplishing something big at home. I wanted David to have something to do in the backyard because otherwise he ends up watching too much television when I have casework to do. So, now he has a great activity! He loves it! The one downside - there is sand all over the house. Even in our bathroom, don't ask me why, the floor is covered wth sand. I hope it is because Brent was building it and this will not be a regular occurrence. But it is worth it!
I hope I don't sound like I am complaining, but having that day of "rest" was so refreshing! We did have to set the church up that evening, but I felt so ready to go and do it. I was eager and excited for Sunday, even though I knew the attendance was probably going to be lower because we knew of two families who were out of town. And Sunday was good - low attendance and all!
Then today I was at the park. I ran into a lady who knew we had started a church, and she was asking some questions. Come to find out, her husband is very skeptical of churches, but he has recently decided he wants to attend, so she wanted information. It was a great conversation! Who knows if God will lead them our direction, but I am excited for the opportunity to talk to her and to pray for their family!! I also ran into another lady who lives very near us (yet we were both at a park 20+ minutes north when there are parks all over the place down here) who is new to town from Longview, Texas, where her husband worked at Le Tourneau (the school Becky Casselberry attended). I was on the phone with Caroline when they arrived at the park! It's funny how God puts us in certain places at certain times. I didn't get to talk to her as much as I hoped, but I hope to run into her again! David really enjoyed her older son.
Thanks again for all of your sweet comments and words of encouragement and thanks to God for a few days of refreshment and encouragement!
3 comments:
It's really interesting how God uses EVERY situation that we find ourselves in. I'm glad you had a productive weekend and had some special family time. We have a sandbox that Steve built (Mr. Man is playing in it as I write this), and it has provided HOURS AND HOURS of entertainment. He'll love it.
you didn't sound like you were complaining. and you shouldn't feel "bad" about having one day to think about something other than church-planting.
you weren't using that time selfishly or lazily...you were spending quality time with your family. well deserved! and, i think, necessary for the furtherance of your ministry!!
That is one reason God gave us a day of rest, to worship him, but to rest and be refreshed. It is so encouraging to read about your work there. Dan and I, on a much smaller scale, have many of the same feelings about our small group. Although our financial support doesn't come from it, we are certainly get emotionally caught up in what 'we' want to happen with it. We, too, have several families we are praying for and trying to build relationships with. It is good to hear of your perseverence and perspective. Thank you writing about so much!
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