Our Family Officially Lives In Puerto Rico!

It's crazy to think that we've been in transition for about 2 years now. What started out as a dream to participate in international church planting has landed our family in our new home: Puerto Rico! Of course, it's not an international move, which makes many parts of the transition much easier. Yet, we are still surrounded by a language that we don't know on an island still very new to us with an aim to serve the people here with the love and grace of Jesus Christ. We're excited to be here!

GIVING THANKS

Although we are still very much at the beginning of this church planting effort, I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the ways the Lord has made this move possible for us. He has provided for us in so many ways.

• So many long-time friends from One Savior Church are partnering with us. Our kids just recently spent some time with their friends there and we are deeply grateful that they were able to have a hang out before the move.

• FBC Bellevue, Maria's home church in Michigan, has been a huge blessing to us throughout this last year.

• The Atlanta home we lived in, made possible by the North American Mission Board, was an incredible place to reside. Having a nice home to rest in and minister from was a huge factor in our family's flourishing.

• Gospel Hope Church has been our covenant family for the last year and half. We have been ministered to so well by their elders, staff, and all our brothers and sisters in Christ there. A special shoutout goes to Tyler Zimmerman who got us to the airport with our crazy amount of luggage!

• Send Network and Send Network Puerto Rico have been essential in helping us get here. We're looking forward to the continuing partnership with them.

• Summit Collab was a church planting cohort that provided some amazing training this last year. The best part was the guys I got to meet, hang with, and become good friends with. May disciple-making flourish in Atlanta, Charleston, Ft. Campbell, Wake Forest and Aguadilla!

• On top of all this, our families along with so many old and new friends have been supportive in a million ways.

I have the same sentiment in my heart as Paul when he said, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now" (Phil. 1:3-4).

Seriously, there is no way we could have gotten here alone. I guess all of our stories are the same in this way. None of us lives on an island to ourselves. We are all dependent on the Lord and on the relationships within our lives. He designed it this way. As we embark on a church plant effort here, we want to bring people together to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. We bring people together because we need one another. We follow Jesus because where else can we go? He alone has the words of life!

FUN WITH FRIENDS!

As I mentioned earlier, the kids got to connect with a bunch of friends before we made this move across the sea. Also, Ariel is 8 and Josiah is 12 now! Here's some pics of their good times...