WE MOVED!!!
It was completely unexpected. We were informed by our landlord only 5 days before we left for Santa Monica that we needed to move out in July so that he can put his house on the market over the summer. We feverishly started looking online for houses to rent and quickly came to the realization that absolutely nothing was in our price range around Fullerton/Yorba Linda. Our landlord had been very gracious to us and was charging us $1,000 under market value to rent and so when it was time to look for a comparable place, we could find nothing nearby.
The day before we left for Santa Monica, we visited a rental in Corona, which is about a 45 minute drive away in morning traffic from the University. This house though is a complete blessing! I, Holly, had prayed just over the winter about how I’d love to live in a house with a view of the mountains (especially when they have snow on them). I just thought it was a million dollar dream, BUT GOD knew my longing to look upon His creation, and this house is on a hill! We can see city lights below and the majestic mountains out of both stories of our house. Our new landlord not only repainted all the walls but installed new carpet as well. We felt so incredibly blessed by the Lord even in this frantic transition!
We had to use every day off while we were in Santa Monica (which we will most definitely share about in our next letter, since it’s not over yet!), to pack up our house in Fullerton. We moved mid-July, had 5 days at home to start getting settled, and then flew off to our bi-annual Cru conference in Colorado. Whew! Needless to say, we both felt exhausted and spent.
Cru CONFERENCE
The theme of the conference was “WITH” and how we need to be “with God and with each other” to see our mission move forward in fulfilling the Great Commission. One quote I read in a devotional time was, “God never gives us so much to do that we aren’t able to spend unhurried time with Him.” Before our summer, I would faithfully get up at 4:50am to spend unhurried time with the Lord, but in leading Santa Monica and preparing for this move, God got pushed out unless I needed to have an emergency conversation with Him about someone or something. This means I’ve taken on too much.
I was challenged before the summer to pray about taking on a Local Missions Director role for 20 hours a week, but the more I prayed about it, I did not feel like that was what the Lord wanted me to do. So, I asked Him to clarify my passions and calling and then to help me walk in it. Even though I have loved coaching teams for the past decade of my Cru ministry, I see God shifting my focus. I’m to be reaching my neighborhood very intentionally and I’m to be out there speaking and training on effective evangelism and living surrendered lives to further His Kingdom and not our own. These are to be my main ministry focuses outside of being “with God and with my family”.
I, Matt, am also in a season of transition. As much as I love leading young men to walk with Jesus, I also am noticing that I’m gifted in graphic design and how I love creating a ministry website for someone, or design promotional material for a ministry. I want to be able to do both so that I can bring the best of who God made me to our ministry and its needs. I still plan to be at Cal State Fullerton, but I’m also looking at joining the Operations Team in some capacity. Would you please pray for us as we both figure out how to best serve God in our passions and giftings and how to see where God is at work in our new neighborhood?
Thank you for your faithful prayers as we continue to reach out to those around us with the gospel and raise up others to be effective ministers of the gospel. We could not focus fully on this without your prayers and financial support. Until the Whole World Hears,