Earlier this month, we had another first. Another experience that we have never had; like so many others over the last 12-15 months. We had two of our worlds collide....in a really good way. On January 3, a team of 14 people from Kentwood Community Church (KCC)** came down to serve with us. KCC is the church that we attended in Michigan for over 15 years. It was (is) a great church/community that helped us grow in many ways, and many of our friends still attend there. (The reason we left was because we were asked by KCC to help launch a new church - Journey.)
So our new life...our new friends here in Mexico....the new "normal" - collided with some friends and memories and emotions from our "old world" in West Michigan.
Have you ever moved from one state to another, or one country to another? And after several months in the new place, friends from your previous life come to spend a week with you, to meet your new friends and fully involve themselves in your new world? Okay, so maybe you haven't, but in our case it was a HUGE BLESSING. Partly because we love these people so much -- partly because we love sharing our new life with anyone who wants to serve with us --partly because this team served so well -- and partly because we loved hearing and watching as they transparently wrestled with how God was speaking deeply to them and what He wanted their "next steps" to be. Each person on this team was here for a reason. And now, a couple weeks after they've all gone back to their worlds, we're still hearing about what God is doing in them and to them. Praise God that He loves us too much to leave us how we are. He's always stretching, growing, challenging, and encouraging us, and all for HIS glory!
We loved serving with you all, KCC! Thanks for giving us a week of your lives. More importantly, thanks for going after God, maybe in a new way, and allowing Him to "mess" with you.
(Loran, we missed you!)
**KCC supports our work down here, and this was the first of two teams that are scheduled to serve alongside us. The next one is coming down in April.
