A brief update:

We have been in Ohio for almost a week now seeing friends, speaking with churches, and trying to build our support team. It’s been challenging but encouraging at the same time. God is at work, just not always in the ways we are expecting. As part of the trip we got to hang out with some of our super amazingly talented friends the Armstrongs and they showed us a music video they did for a musician named Josh Garrels. Erin and I thought it was amazing and since it was part of our experience here, we're sharing it with you. Enjoy.

A word from God to me

We are in Ohio this week (that’s right, OH–IO), working on developing partnerships for France and visiting family and friends. We visited three church services this weekend and were very encouraged by the music and preaching we heard and the people we met. Each gathering of believers was pretty different in look, feel and size but the message communicated and commitment to Christ demonstrated was consistent from place to place. I would like to share a bit about the different churches, because by the end of our trip we will have had the pleasure of visiting 6 or more, but I will save that for another post. For now, I want to share what God has been putting on my heart this week.

When God wants to teach me something He often does so by putting the message right in front of me over and over again, which is proof that He really knows me because if He only put it in front of me once or twice I would either miss it or assume a mere coincidence. The passage He keeps bringing to me over and over and over, through personal study with my friend Brittany, 2 services this weekend and a conversation with my mentor this morning, is Philippians 2:1–4…

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

The section title for this in my bible is “imitating Christ’s humility” and it can be a really challenging lesson. Truthfully, seeing this kind of unity and selflessness in action is rare. But I am encouraged when I read right after this part in Philippians and it shows the literal example of Christ doing this, and then the results. After Christ humbled Himself completely, making himself nothing and taking on the very nature of a servant and THEN being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross… after all that this is what happens in Phil 2:9–11.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

I think God is trying to show me that I need to humble myself more. I need to love and serve others more selflessly. And then my prayer is that through that, God will be exalted and glorified and the person and persons I love and serve will be one step closer to acknowledging and living in a way that displays that Jesus is their Lord too. One tangible way to do so, as encouraged by my mentor, is to not enter into interactions with people this week with my agenda as the main thing, but rather to start every interaction by seeking to encourage and love the people we meet. This was a wonderful reminder, because we are here to develop partners, which is important, but above that we are called to love the people God puts in our path. Please pray that Ryan and I would be putting others above ourselves this week, to the glory and praise of our Lord and King.

Wise words from the mouths of babes

“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’”
— Luke 10:21

I was helping in the nursery at church yesterday and was blessed by the words of a little one. I set up some fun puzzles and began inviting some kids to do them with me, so I invited Girl #1 (I’ve decided to protect her identity) to join me. She is 3.

Me: Hey there, do you want to work on these puzzles with me?

Girl #1: No, I can’t do these because I am too little.

Me: It’s okay; we will work on it together, as a team (so she smiled and came over and we began assembling the puzzle, then Girl #2 came over, she is 6).

Girl #2: I want to do this one by myself.

Girl #1: No, we are a team. No one can do this by themselves, it is too hard, but together we can do this.

At this point, I had to explain that it was okay if Girl #2 wanted to try the other puzzle by herself, but we could keep working as a team on ours. But I was struck by her words. She internalized what I said about working together and took it a few steps farther. She reminded me what the body of Christ is all about. It is about working together to accomplish God’s will and mission, and it is about encouraging one another and building each other up in love.

It is just like she said, on our own, each of us is too little to accomplish much, but together… we can do this. Much like the different pieces of a puzzle, each piece on it’s own doesn’t do much, but together its’ purpose is fulfilled. Anyway, It makes me smile. :)

But what will you (Erin) do?

As I think I have mentioned, one of the main aims of our blog is to answer some of the questions we get from people. One that I have gotten a few times is “So Ryan will be in ministry, but what will you do?” And I think it is a reasonable question for a few reasons.

First, while in Massachusetts (the past 4 yrs) I have worked full-time as a graphic designer and that is my training and background. I enjoy my work and through it God provided for Ryan to get through seminary without additional loans.

Second, Along with this, is the fact that Ryan has two theological degrees and a few years of ministry under his belt, so he has some training and experience, which I haven’t had as much of yet.

Third, honestly it has taken a few years for my personal desire to be involved in ministry to grow. But it has grown. I always knew I would support Ryan in it, but it wasn’t really until maybe 2–3 years ago that God began gently leading me to it as well. I think it began naturally by being involved in our church community. I have come to love spending intentional time with people, serving and helping them to grow in whatever ways I can. And then last summer, during our internship, God gave me even more clarity about my call and a lot of excitement about what is ahead. He has been developing my desires and gifts stateside, in order to prepare me to use them, even more, in France.

But now I guess I should actually answer the question; what I will do in our ministry?

• Similar to how most believers strive to live their lives, I want to share my faith with people, in word and deed.
• I have a growing passion to disciple women (mostly one-on-one), to help them grow and mature in their relationship with the Lord and in all their life. I could easily see myself spending a lot of time doing this because it is so important and rewarding.
• I would like to co-lead small groups and bible studies.
• I would like to offer hospitality by always having an open home, for meals and time spent with people to be very regular and natural.
• I will no doubt use my communication and administrative gifts when needed (I know I will always create and design things).
• And lastly (for now), I want to serve in my neighborhood, somehow working among the “least of these” in some way.

I would like to be involved in any and every way I can, and I’m sure that will look different at various seasons in my life. Also, remember that Ryan and I are just normal people. We have hobbies and interests outside of ministry too. I will probably always have artistic and culinary pursuits, and Ryan will probably always have scholarly and athletic pursuits.

I hope this answers the question. Don’t hesitate to email us more questions if you have one or a dozen.