God is opening doors we didn’t expect, filling needs we didn’t know existed, and just flat out showing up. He’s already provided 120k of next year’s 170k budget, friends have loaned us houses for over a month, and today I visited our dentist for free. From the little to the big, God is faithful.

We’re still nomads, as a friend spends his own cash to renovate our house, selling it for profit and giving us an agreed upon baseline price. Our current tent of residence (an awesome house in downtown Dallas) is decorated with framed quotes. I’m sure God placed one of them there for us: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” –Dr Seuss.

Reality hit when a friend and I cried through last time together, and then again as we all gathered Saturday night for a goodbye party. Courtney is sharing in her last play dates, and we have a few more pizza parties with families we love. We will miss so much about our home here: life giving relationships, our community pool, knowing the ins and outs of the area, ministry and leadership in our church, great neighbors and friends, and Cindy’s Deli. God has used us here for His work, and used here to work in us.

Though Jesus had it all, being God, he didn’t hold onto it or savor it for Himself in the comforts of heaven, His home. Rather, He came to earth, and “made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil2.5-7). I cringe when I compare our sacrifice to the majestic emptying of Jesus to take on humanity. Our loss, including the community pool and Cindy’s egg special, is well, incomparable. But we are moving for the same reasons.

Jesus moved from the splendor of Heaven to reach the lost, and mend a broken world. Moved by love, He left because He wanted us to know Him, in order that God would be worshiped and we would have life. Though our family’s sacrifice pales in comparison, in this chaotic transition from Dallas to DC we cling to the promise that we are giving up life here, that those in Silver Spring would find life worshiping Him. We are eager to meet and love those who know nothing of Christ’s move, to share with them, that He has come, He has died, He has risen, and He will come again.

Please pray: 1. For our kids. Jake’s quote: “I want to sleep at home!” 2. For Courtney/my relationship with Christ and focused times of intimacy with Him 3. Support raising praise, and more repetitious givers to carry His work for the next 4yrs.