This time last year Jodi, the kids and I were living in Gaithersburg, Maryland enjoying our time at the Sovereign Grace Pastor's College. It was a joy to build new relationships with individuals who are now some of our closest friends. We spent time learning together, growing together, crying together, praying together and of course having tons of fun. It was a special time of experiencing God's blessing of relational unity amidst challenging times in Sovereign Grace. We give thanks to God and to many of you who sacrificially gave to make that experience possible. And it is that experience that has led to much of what we are now involved with in Philadelphia.
In June we returned to Philadelphia to begin the process of planting a church in the Wissinoming neighborhood of NE Philadelphia. As the Pastor's College came to a close we had heard that a church in NE Philadelphia was interested in giving away their building to an existing ministry. Just recently, God provided us with that building! He has provided a building to begin a new local church - Grace Bible Church of Wissinoming!
He has given us a building, but more importantly, he has given a great sending church - Grace Bible Church of the NE. This church has poured into us in multiple ways. They have supported us and counseled us in this venture and they are presently serving us in various ways to ensure the planting of a new local church in Wissinoming. They are even sending a motley crew (ie core group) of servants and dear friends to become church planters with us. God has certainly provided above and beyond! (Check out other posts and check back for more updates on what God is doing to plant his church in Wissinoming.)
In the mean time, we as a family have been enjoying being back in Philadelphia. Trinity turned four years old this past November. She is enjoying Hello Kitty and anything to do with princesses. She is certainly our little girl. And Judson is not. He is our little 17 month old MAN-child. He enjoys wrestling and playing swords with anyone who is willing to challenge him to a duel. Nonetheless, we have many opportunities to see gospel truths represented in the dreamworlds of our little children. Christ has come to bring peace, and he will one day come wielding a sword of justice and calling a princess, a bride to join him at the table of his marriage feast. We look forward to that day!
Jodi and I have been again and again challenged by God's faithfulness to his people. He calls us to tasks that are filled with excitement and joy, but they go far beyond any strength or ability that we have in ourselves. So we are left repenting of our self-sufficiency and looking again to the person and work of Christ. We call upon him to demonstrate himself as we seek to embrace his plan for his people.
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
[2] as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
[3] When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
[4] From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
[5] You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
(Isaiah 64:1-5a ESV)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Dan, Jodi, Trinity and Judson