The last few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster culminating with this past Sunday, July 23, when we were commissioned by our sending church, Malvern Hill Baptist Church. This is the church family where we have served for the past seven years and, outside of our own families, the people we were most sorrowful about leaving.

There is something special about our church family. Community is rarely easy, but to find a place where you can love and be loved in Christ, is a rare thing (unfortunately) to find. We cannot express the emotions we felt during our commissioning service as our church blessed us in incredible ways through prayer, preaching of the Word, and testimonies.

That evening, our church had a reception to celebrate our commissioning. We were overwhelmed with how many people came out on a very stormy night to send us off, and brought to tears by the exceedingly generous love offering that was taken up to help us with this transition period.

One of my prayers for our church family and especially our students over the last several months has been Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Will you join us in praying this verse for our own lives and for the lives of our church home at Malvern Hill? You can see our other prayer requests below.

Thank you for your prayers as we know that the Lord has used them during this time to sustain us through bittersweet goodbyes, difficult paperwork, and not enough sleep!