Why Wilmington?

A little less than a year ago, I started feeling the urge to move away from Raleigh. I was born and raised in Raleigh, and the 25 years I had spent there were amazing. I grew up never wanting to leave. I wanted to get married and settle down there, and raise a family of my own close by to my parents. Ethan felt the same way. He wanted to stay in the triangle area. We're both homebodies who hate change. While we loved serving the Lord, we never talked or thought about becoming missionaries.

So when I started to feel like I didn't belong in Raleigh anymore, I was confused. I had already planned my life out (and was in the process of planning out how to get Ethan to propose to me!). All of a sudden, the idea of the Hub Church in Boston, MA was laid on my heart. It was the first church plant that I had read about since my sudden questioning. I began to look into it and thought, "Wow, this could be it!" Months earlier, I had traveled to Boston to watch Ethan and the NC State baseball team take on Boston College. This happened to be the same weekend as the Boston Marathon bombing. Just hours before the attack, my parents and I visited the finish line, in awe at such an amazing race in such a beautiful city. When we got home and heard what had happened, my heart felt even more in love with Boston.

Unfortunately, Ethan wanted nothing to do with this. He prayed and prayed and said this wasn't what God wanted him to do, and he felt like he could make a bigger impact in Raleigh. I felt like he was being selfish because he didn't want to leave his comfort zone, but after weeks of prayer, I decided leaving for Boston wasn't what God wanted me to do....but I still knew I needed to go somewhere.

Barely any time had passed when Ethan and I went to Summit one Sunday morning. Inside the bulletin (or whatever they're called these days), was some information about 4 upcoming church plants: 2 to Durham, 1 to Washington, D.C., and 1 to Wilmington. I didn't want to even mention the idea since it had caused such disagreement between us before.

However, when we got in the car and drove away, Ethan looked at me and said, "What do you think about the Wilmington church plant?" I'm pretty sure I shrieked. I had no idea then that this would become a reality and I would be sitting here in my home in Wilmington writing this blog post.

On Saturday night, April 26, 2014, The Summit Church commissioned 108 covenant members to go out into the nation and plant 4 different churches located in Durham, Washington, DC, and Wilmington. It was an amazing weekend of love and prayer from our sending church, and it really kicked off the season of moving for all of these amazing missionaries giving up their current lives and comforts to pursue the great commission.

After the 2 services on Saturday, fellow members of The Bridge Church (which Ethan and I are a part of) gathered for dinner to celebrate and spend time with each other. It was such a night of joy and blessings for Ethan and I to spend a few hours in fellowship with a group of people we have come to know and love as our family.

As dinner wrapped up, members of our group stood and told stories of how they've seen God's provision in their lives, and how He has prepared them for Wilmington. The room was full of tears and laughter as we listened to story after story of God's amazing grace.

We heard how the devil was working to destroy one families dreams as the husband lost his job. They began to bear the burden of finances, when all of a sudden, one night, three bags of groceries were anonymously left on their doorstep. Weeks later, the husband found a new job, they sold their house, and in just a few short weeks they will be here in Wilmington, helping to spread the Gospel to the lost.

We heard from a couple that has been praying for years and years for God to send a church to Wilmington that they could be a part of. They had previously tried location after location and had never found where they fit in...until now.

One family told the struggle of after committing to the Bridge, being told that their daughter has a disease so rare that there are only 74 documented cases in the entire world. Their lives were rocked with this devastation, and the sickness that has overcome her tiny body these past few months. Satan was attacking them, but God would yet again prevail. They just recently discovered a treatment that will help their daughter thrive and regain a lot of the abilities that she has lost.

Many college students professed how tough times have been, and the wrath they've felt from fellow friends and family members over their decisions to follow Jesus. At just the right time, however, God placed them in our group, where they have found life long friends and mentors to encourage them in their faith, and to be there for them, especially in the tough times. Two of them were even baptized Saturday night, proclaiming that nothing could stop them from going wherever Jesus calls them to go, and doing whatever He calls them to do.

Story after story like this poured out into that room. I couldn't even sleep that night because I was so pumped about what God is doing for our church. I prayed all night for these families, and praised God for the provision He has shown during this time.

Ethan and I have been in Wilmington for almost a month now, and the presence of God is so evident here. The Holy Spirit has gone before us and is truly preparing the hearts of those around us. In just this past month, I have shared my faith multiple times. At the grocery store, at the dog park, across the street. People are asking questions. They want to know why we're here and what we stand for. Honestly, in the 25 years I've lived in Raleigh, I don't think I've shared my faith or been asked questions about Jesus as much as I have here in Wilmington in this past month. It is such a sweet indication that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Ethan and I pray every night for the boldness and courage to continue to live our lives to leverage the Gospel. We pray for the hearts of those around us, that they would be receptive to what we have to say. We pray for God to put us in strategic places at strategic times to be able to share the Gospel with those around us.

We absolutely cannot WAIT for the rest of our team to get down here to Wilmington so we can get the ball rolling on opening up The Bridge Church. However, it's not about a building we meet in once a week on Sunday. We're excited for the day where we can open the doors and have weekend services, but more importantly, it's about living our lives for Jesus, and building community with those around us and within the city of Wilmington. Often times, it's not a Sunday morning message that brings people to Jesus, but a mid week meal with neighbors that show someone the true meaning of Jesus' death.

We are so blessed to be a part of this group, which we now consider family. I have been overwhelmed with the love and support from fellow men and women from our church. We have developed life long friendships already.

"Home" to us now means something completely different. It has nothing to do with a specific place, and everything to do with the people of God that are in our lives, and where God has placed us as his disciple. We are home here in Wilmington, and look forward to sharing our lives with our new best friends, and living our lives to make Jesus famous.

Many members of The Bridge Church after our celebratory dinner on Saturday

16 days.

I've been married for 16 days. Married, y'all! 

It's already going by so fast. I feel like just yesterday I was praying with my bridesmaids and shedding some last tears before walking down the aisle to meet Ethan and join our lives together. I miss that day already, so badly. It was a beautiful day, full of love; love between Ethan and I, but more importantly, love between the 50 people who came to the ceremony, the 230 people who came to the reception, and the overarching love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was with us every second of that day. He was watching over us as we got ready. He was standing with us at the alter. He was with us as we drove off in the rain to start our journey together.

Marriage, in just these short 16 days, has already been some of the most fun times. Ethan and I have enjoyed learning more about each other. So far, I think the biggest problems we've had were how much peanut butter I put on his sandwich in the morning, which sides of the couch we like the best, and which restaurants in Jamaica we wanted to eat at the most.

Luckily for us, there is more to marriage than peanut butter sandwiches, sharing a name, and the ever so awkward to talk about topic...sex!

Even though these 16 days have been so much fun growing closer together, the even better part has been growing closer to God. We pray together, we read together, we yearn for the Gospel to be present in our marriage. We're being challenged every day to live to serve each other, just as Christ served the church.

Tim Keller, in his book, "The Meaning of Marriage," speaks a great deal on the idea of service. He says this,

 

"....each partner is called to sacrifice for the other in far-reaching ways. Whether we are husband or wife, we are not to live for ourselves but for the other. And that is the hardest yet single most important function of being a husband or wife in marriage."

What the Bible tells us through Paul's words in Ephesians, is that as Christians, when we truly understand the Gospel, we are radically changed. We don't see service as an obligation, but as a privilege. It doesn't bother me to get up every morning at 6:00 and make Ethan's lunch; I want to do that for him. I want to fold his laundry and have dinner ready for him....which is hilarious to anyone who's known me prior, because I didn't want to lift a finger for myself or others. Marriage is changing me. The Gospel is continually changing me. I live to serve this other human being, and exalt him as my partner and my brother in Christ. And the best part is...he feels the same way about me! Do I deserve any of it? No, absolutely not. I am not worthy of him warming my towel up for me while I'm in the shower, or him sacrificing things he wants to do just so that I can be happy.

But that is the Gospel: I am more flawed than I can even imagine, yet Jesus still gave his for me and loves me more than I can fathom.

I am a sinner, and I married a sinner. And together, we are going to spend our lives as missionaries preaching the Word of God to anyone who will listen, and loving and serving each other in the process. Marriage is wonderful.

Martyrs

In Acts 7, we see the first Christian martyr, Stephen. Stephen literally gave his life to leverage the Gospel. He had every intention of spreading the good news of Jesus to anyone who would listen, and even those who didn't want to hear. And it cost him his life. Stephen was stoned to death for his faith. Even as he was about to take his last breath, he prayed out loud saying "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). He loved these people so much and wanted to see their salvation so badly that he prayed for them as he took his last breath.

After Stephen is brutally murdered, the apostles scatter the lands to continue to preach the Gospel. Seriously? One of their best friends has been stoned to death, and they immediately keep preaching.

How do I get faith like that? Why is it so hard for me to share my faith, when I don't even risk persecution? It's like a constant let down. I know these people will go to Hell if they don't believe Jesus, so why aren't I more eager to spend every moment trying to tell them about the Lord?

What it comes down to is this: I am a sinner. I feel guilty, like a B team Christian. But before I let those negative thoughts take over, I have to remember that Satan is the one in charge of them! He is doing anything he can to make me feel guilty and ashamed. I just need to keep praying every time I feel down. The power of prayer plus scripture memorization can seriously affect my relationship with Jesus!

I experience multiple opportunities a day to share my faith, and show others the love of Jesus through the way I live my life. I can't save people, that's not my job. My job is to tell them about Jesus, and show them his love through the way I live my life. Salvation belongs to the Lord. I just have to open the door for them to hear, and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak to them.

The Lord is coming back, and it's going to be sooner than we think. I want to make sure everyone I know is ready.

Blessed Assurance

"Blessed Assurance! Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!"

Sometimes the older hymns, though sounding outdated, offer the most beautiful essence of worship. Oh, what it would be like for this to be "my song," actually "praising my Savior all the day long." But here I am, crawling into bed to devote the last few minutes of my day to structured reading and prayer. It stings to read that. All day long I've been surrounded by true beauty, grace, and overwhelming love from my Savior, and how many times did I stop and thank Him?

I've been reading through 1st John this week, and I keep feeling so convicted of my sins. How many times daily do I scorn a coworker or friend? 1 John clearly states how sinful these simple thoughts and words can be (1:9, 1:11, 3:12). Sins are all equal in God's eyes, so who am I to mentally bash someone else when my list of bad deeds is a mile long?

Luckily, I have a great high priest who was beaten for me, who bled for me, who gave up every last breath so that I wouldn't be held accountable for my actions. He Himself absorbed the wrath of our sins (2:2). We can have assurance that if we believe in God, and live our lives for Him, not ourselves, that we will have a new life in Heaven (5:11)!

This should make me shout for joy every hour of the day. This should make me weep with thankfulness at every mention of His death. But, I am a sinner. I was born a sinner, but when I die a sinner, I will have been saved by grace.

I go to sleep tonight with the urgency to challenge myself to increase the amount I pray a day tenfold. I yearn to be able to recite memorized scripture. I desire to live my life as a product of reckless love and forgiveness. For how will the others know if they do not hear (Romans 10:14)?