"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" -Philippians 4:19

God’s Word is full of stories about His provision, such as John 9 when Jesus gives sight to a blind man, or in Matthew 14 when Jesus feeds 5,000 people with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He healed those who were possessed with demons, caused people who were paralyzed to walk, and raised Lazarus from death to life.  Unfortunately, sometimes when I read these stories I think that’s all they are….stories of what He has done in other people’s lives, rather than believing that He is the God who provides all of my needs on a daily basis. I often am reminded of how frail my faith is when I am in great need. I let worry and fear consume me rather than trusting in God’s power, love, and faithfulness.  Then, he gently and patiently reveals His power to me over and over again. Last Fall as Brandon and I were making the transition from Louisville to New York City we found ourselves completely dependent on God’s provision. All of our decisions didn’t seem to “make sense” at times. I was leaving a stable job that I loved for no job at all. We were leaving a spacious, convenient apartment, with no idea where we would be living or how we would afford NYC rent. Our monthly income was very little and we were moving to a city with one of the highest cost of living in the country.  These realities were a little overwhelming at times and I found myself questioning whether or not God was going to provide in each of these ways. Despite these uncertainties God continued to confirm that His plan was for us to be in New York, so we took a leap of faith.

Once again, God revealed my sinfulness to me through my lack of faith, as he demonstrated His power and provision. Shortly before we moved to New York God provided us the opportunity to stay in a studio apartment for missionaries that was free….not paying rent in NYC for 6 months was such an answered prayer! The day after we moved to New York I interviewed for my current job as a nanny, and began working the next week. God provided us with financial resources through our incredible ministry partners and jobs, so that we are able to live and do ministry in this city. Praise God for being the same yesterday, today, and always – for providing for our needs just like He did in the stories we read throughout Scripture.

Recently God has provided in new ways. I have absolutely loved being a nanny for the sweetest, funniest, cutest, and smartest little girl in New York. However, I have missed being a teacher. A few months ago I accepted a job as a teacher at Success Academy Charter Schools, which will begin this July. While I am sad to leave my current job, I am so thankful for God’s provision and I’m excited to invest in the lives of other kids in this city. I don’t know the details of which grade I will teach or my exact school placement until this July, but pray that God will use me to have an impact in the lives of my students and be able to show them His grace and love.

God also recently provided a new apartment for us in one of our favorite NYC neighborhoods…we’re one block away from Central Park!!! Apartment hunting in New York is usually a nightmare, but we searched for apartments and then put in an application to rent one within the same day. We absolutely love our new home and we praise God for providing this wonderful place for us. (Pictures are below).

Finally, in this crazy season of transition that we have gone through as a church, we have seen God provide in so many ways. We have seen many people leave the city/our church, but God has blessed us with many new faces. We are excited for the new opportunities God is giving us to serve our community and build relationships with people around us. We recently have learned of some opportunities we will have this summer to invest in a community near our church as we volunteer in their community events, and host our first Vacation Bible School. We are praying for God to continue to show us His power and faithfulness as He continues to provide opportunities for us to display His glory in New York City. Please continue to pray for Brandon and I, the Gallery Church, and the people in this city. 

 

 

 Our new neighborhood - the Upper West Side: Columbus Ave.

Here are some pictures of our new home!

 

 

 

April 28, 2006.

April 28, 2006. A day that I will never forget. This was the day that completely changed my life. The day when I felt the most distant from God and everyone else around me. But ultimately, it was the day when God transformed my life for my good and His glory. 8 years ago, on April 28, I was on a bus heading back to Kentucky from New York City with a group of my senior classmates. That trip was one of my favorite high school memories, however the trip home was something that I never expected to happen. I will never forget the moment when I found out. I remember waking up from a nap (because anyone who knows me, knows that I always sleep on roadtrips!) and my friend told me that something bad may have happened to Brian, my boyfriend at the time. As I saw my dad’s face when he walked back to take me off the bus, I knew something was wrong. When the words finally formed out of his mouth, “He didn’t make it, Becca” all I remember was falling to the ground, screaming. I couldn’t stand up, it felt like every bone had left my body. I didn’t believe him. There was no way that God would let this happen to me. If God really loved me, why would he take Brian away so soon? These thoughts continued to haunt me throughout the next several hours on the quiet, somber ride home. I felt so numb and lonely. I wanted things to instantly go back to how they were before I fell asleep on that bus. I wanted to be home and realize that this was all a dream. I wanted answers from God.

The next few days were a complete blur. I know the visitation and the funeral happened. My amazing family, friends, and classmates were so incredibly supportive. I have never felt so much love from so many people than I did in those moments! But as the days and weeks went by, my heart continued to break. I felt like my life was over and there were days when I had no desire to continue living. Every time someone would tell me “time will heal it” I thought they were crazy. When people told me “God has a purpose for all of the suffering you are going through” I wanted to throw something at them (I’m just being real…) I couldn’t imagine how God could ever heal my heart or bring anything good from this situation. I was angry and confused, and honestly wanted nothing to do with God or his plan for me.  Thankfully, God continued to use people to speak truth in my life.

The next 5 or so years were a slow, painful healing process. There were days when my whole body ached with grief, and times when I was so numb to crying I didn’t even realize that tears were falling down my face. But God continued to draw me close to Himself and He revealed so much to me about His good and loving character. God provided me with peace beyond all understanding, He made me fall more in love with Him everyday, and eventually He healed my broken heart. I thought that I would never date or love anyone again. Anyone who knew me at the time can tell you that I was convinced that I would be single forever. But thankfully, God had different plans. I can’t begin to explain how thankful I am for the amazing man that God has placed in my life. 5 years after Brian died I finally met the man who would be my husband. I remember being so scared as I started falling in love with Brandon. I was afraid that the same thing would happen and that my heart would be crushed, again. I’m so thankful that God, in his sovereignty, brought us together and worked out all of the crazy details so that we would fall in love and become husband and wife.  Brandon is absolutely perfect for me and I am so excited to see God’s good plan for us unfold. 

As I sit here and reflect on these past 8 years I am drawn to tears because of God’s overwhelming goodness to me. While it was a horrible tragedy and I still ache for Brian’s family, I can see God’s grace and mercy displayed so greatly throughout that season of my life.  I am more in love with Jesus today than I ever was 8 years ago. He has transformed my life and made me into a new creation. God has shown me that He truly brings good out of all things and that He can be glorified even in the most difficult situations.  I know for people who are enduring suffering, it seems like there is no relief in sight. And honestly, there may never be total relief on this earth for some people. But we have a God who cares deeply for us and walks with us every step of the way during our suffering.  Our hope is on Christ and His coming Kingdom, not on this world. He uses the storms in our lives to bring new life. We even see this in the story of His son. Jesus went through more suffering than any of us could ever experience, but His suffering brought new life to all who believe in Him. He truly is a good and faithful God.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”  -Romans 8:28

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” –James 1:12

On Mission

     The 40 days leading up to Easter, the Gallery Church fasted, prayed, and read through the Gospel of John. This was such a sweet time where we, as the body of Christ, became more unified and focused on our Savior. God taught Brandon and me so much through the past 40 days as He revealed to us more about Himself and continued to confirm His calling on our lives to be serving in this city. Brandon had the opportunity to meet with different groups of guys throughout the week to discuss what they were learning and how they were growing during the fast. Each week we were both able to hear stories of how God is at work in the lives of the people in our church and throughout this city. 

I wish I could share my whole journal of thoughts and things that God taught me through this time, if I did, it might be the world's longest blog post. As I read about the life of Jesus from the gospel of John, I was reminded of so many incredible truths. One thing that continually stood out to me was the fact that Jesus refers to himself as the one who was "sent" from the Father over and over again. Jesus was sent on mission to this earth. His mission was to redeem the people who would betray and ridicule Him. His mission was to take on the full punishment for our sins, so that we may come into a relationship with God. His mission was to give us life! I am so incredibly thankful that on the cross He was able to say "It is finished!" He finished the mission that the Father sent Him to fulfill and because of that we can have life. 

     "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." John 20:21. These were the words Jesus spoke to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. Just as Jesus was sent, He sends us to be on mission. Jesus invites us to tell others about the incredible work He has done in our lives. Our mission is to tell the world that Jesus is the One way we can have a relationship with the Father, He has redeemed us and completely washed away all of our sins. Our mission is to love others as Jesus has loved us. Our mission is to love God above all else and to glorify Him in all that we do. Jesus faithfully completed His mission on this earth, this challenges me to honestly ask myself, "How faithful am I to the mission that God has given me?" I wish that I could say I always tell others about the amazing hope, peace, and comfort that God has given me. I would love to be able to say that I love others selflessly and completely, and that I put God before anyone or anything else on this earth. As much as I want these things to be true of me, I often find that my "spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak". This realization makes me even more thankful for the amazing grace and mercy of my Savior. His love compels me to be faithful to the mission that Christ has called me to. 

     On Easter Sunday I had the amazing opportunity to live out this mission. As I was talking to the owner of the building where our church meets and his daughter, they simply asked me "What is the Gallery Church? What is your organization about?" At first I was completely shocked that I had such a clear opportunity to share about the reason we were celebrating that day. As words finally began to form from my mouth, I shared with them that we believe that God loves us and desires to have a relationship with us. But, because God is perfect and holy, and we are sinful, there is a separation between us that cannot be bridged by anything that we do or don't do. There is a punishment for our sin, because God is holy.  I explained that Jesus came to this earth and lived a perfect life so that He could take on our punishment and we can have a relationship with God. As I explained that there is nothing we can do to earn God's love and favor, we just have to believe in Christ and follow Him, a smile came to their faces. In a world based on performance, this is such sweet news. The truth that God loves us and forgives us, not because of our own works but because Christ accomplished His mission, is radically different than any other message in this world. The owner's daughter simply exclaimed, "That is beautiful. That sounds really great." People in this world are longing for hope and acceptance, which can only be truly fulfilled through Jesus. The Gospel is truly beautiful and it is our mission to help others see and experience His beauty.

"The Safest Place to Be is in God's Will"

It has been so long since I’ve had a chance to sit down and write about what God is doing here in New York City. As I reflect on the past few months I am amazed at what God has done in my heart and in our church. I will be honest, the two weeks leading up to Christmas were extremely hard for me. I felt very lonely (partly because Brandon had to go out of town for 1 week), and was really homesick. I missed our old life in Louisville and was ready to go back. Going home for Christmas was such a blessing! I loved being able to spend time with our family and friends, eat Chick-Fil-A (which I’m craving right now!!), and spend time relaxing and enjoying time at home.  I was afraid that I wouldn’t want to return to NYC at the end of the week. All week I prayed that the Lord would give me a love for the people in New York City, and remind me of the need for people in this city to know about Jesus. On our way back to New York, I could tell the Lord was transforming my heart once again.

God graciously reminded me of why he brought us here in the first place, to tell people about the amazing love and grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He reminded me that He had us here for a reason and that His plan was greater than anything I could come up with on my own. Recently I heard the quote “The safest place to be is in God’s will”. This is so true and God has continually reminded me of this throughout my life. As the weeks passed, God continued to open my eyes to see others the way He does. On the subway I began to pray for those I don’t know, walking down the street I began to pray for schools, businesses, and homes. I began to meditate on God’s Word and see His heart for the nations. While I still struggle daily and am only able to do these things by the power of the Holy Spirit, God began to change my heart. He is giving me an incredible love for this city and the people who live here. God graciously has blessed me with the opportunity to build relationships with other nannies that I work with on a daily basis. He has chosen to use me to tell 2 of them about the incredible love He has for us. While one of the women I talked to didn’t seem very interested in Christianity, the other was very excited to learn more about Jesus. She exclaimed, “Maybe one day I will become a Christian!” I have full confidence that our God will continue to work in her heart and draw her to Himself! I praise the Lord for the opportunities He is giving us here in this city, and am humbled to think that He chooses to use someone like me for His glory.

The past few weeks have also been very exciting for us, Brandon was ordained as a minister. It was a special time for him to be recognized by the church as one set apart for ministry. I have to take a minute to brag on him…it has been so amazing to see God work through him in so many ways since we’ve been here. He, along with the other elders of our church, have continuously prayed for wisdom and guidance as they lead our church in the next direction. I have seen Brandon love the people of the Gallery church and welcome new people into the body of Christ. I always knew he had strong leadership qualities but it has been incredible to see him live those out in this setting. I am so excited to see how God continues to use Brandon for the fame of Jesus in this city. The elders have decided to move forward by hiring one other staff pastor to take on most of the teaching responsibilities. Brandon will also be a staff pastor who oversees our small groups, staff leadership and other operations. We trust that God is going to continue to bring Himself glory in the midst of this transition! Please continue to pray for us! 

Here is a picture from Brandon's ordination, the elders and others who have been ordained spent time in prayer for him.

Here are some fun pictures of the crazy snow storms we've experienced since we've been here. Everyone says this is one of the worst winters NYC has had in a while. I love snow, but I'm ready for Spring!!

 

A New Season

As I mentioned in my second blog post, living in New York City has been an adjustment for us. This has been an exciting new season with some transitions that we expected and others we did not. The Gallery Church is going through a huge season of transition right now. New York City is such a transient city, people move in and out of the city so often. The Gallery has had several key church members move out of the city recently, including our lead pastor Freddy T and his wife, Susan. Freddy and Susan have 4 wonderful children, after having their fourth child last year they realized living in New York City was getting harder on their family. Freddy and Susan sacrificed so much and poured their whole hearts into this city and the Gallery Church. Their lives have impacted so many people in this city, including Brandon and me. After spending much time in prayer Freddy and Susan felt assurance that God was calling them to leave the city, so after submitting his resignation they left for Tennessee a few days before Thanksgiving. Brandon and I, as well as our whole church family, were incredibly sad to see the Wyatts leave, but we are also excited for their family and what God has in store for them in this next season of life. Freddy and Susan left an incredible legacy at the Gallery Church. In one of Freddy’s last sermons he reminded us that Jesus Christ is the true leader of the church, and that remains forever. Praise Him! You can read more about Freddy and Susan’s transition out of the city at www.gallerychurch.com under Recent Blogs.

So what’s next for the Gallery Church? Brandon and the other three elders are prayerfully seeking answers to that question. We have full confidence that God has great things in store for us as we seek to be a healthy church in New York City for the fame of Jesus. The team of four elders and other leaders in the church are currently sharing the responsibilities of teaching, shepherding, and leading the Gallery. Please pray for our pastors as they seek guidance from the Lord. Pray that each individual of the Gallery Church would fully trust the Lord during this season of transition and that we would see spiritual fruit as a result. I will keep you updated on what happens in our future!

On a different note….we have really loved our time in the city the past 2 months. Below are some pictures of some of the amazing experiences we have had together. 

The Wyatts' last Sunday at the Gallery Church

We were unable to travel home for Thanksgiving, so we celebrated with several other Gallery Church members who were in the city. Lots of good food!

We had a great group of friends to celebrate with on Thanksgiving!

Radio City Rockettes

Radio City Music Hall

My wonderful mom came to visit us! We had such a great time

Mamie came to visit too!

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center

Mom, Mamie, my friend Ashley and me

My cousin Katie lives in the city as well, so my Aunt Mary came up to visit too. We had a great weekend!

We went to the UK game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn!

Our first Christmas tree!

We got free tickets to a Christmas concert at Carnegie Hall

Black Friday shopping at Macy's. This was at 3:30 am. It was so crowded!

The Battle

This past weekend was my favorite experience so far in NYC. It was the Gallery Church retreat and it was an amazing weekend! 71 people drove upstate New York to a YoungLife camp, Lake Champion. It was an amazing time to build relationships with so many brothers and sisters in Christ, which is so vital when beginning to do life in a new place. The weekend was full of excitement – wonderful teaching from God’s Word, an amazing ropes course (where I conquered my fear of heights!), lots of games, and even a sweet proposal! One of the best parts was being back in the mountains, away from the bustle of the City. It was such a sweet time to find rest and peace in the Lord.

Brandon had the opportunity to preach two sermons during the weekend, along with Josh Stahley – a pastor from another church in NYC. Throughout the weekend we discussed the reality of spiritual warfare. This is a topic that is often misunderstood. One quote that was extremely helpful in helping me understand the reality of this war is by Jerry Rankin “Spiritual warfare is not so much about demon possession, territorial spirits, or generational bondage as it is overcoming Satan’s lies and deceits in our own life.” Brandon and Josh talked about how as Christians, we are at war with Satan, the enemy of God. Satan is the ruler of the kingdom of darkness and is working to blind the hearts and minds of millions around the world – in the South, all over the US, the nations, and here in New York City.  Another quote by Jerry Rankin says “The devil is against us, the world is around us, and the flesh is within us, collaborating to defeat us in our Christian walk.” As Christians, we are at war – in a constant battle against the temptations and strategies that Satan seeks to use to pull us further from Christ. I am constantly reminded of my sinfulness and how I often give in to the evil schemes of Satan. Living in New York City, I am often reminded of the darkness of this world. Although New York is an amazing place to live there are so many people here and throughout the world who are losing in this battle against Satan. Satan has shaped our culture to find satisfaction in fame, wealth, sex, friends, and so many other things that cannot truly fulfill us. A relationship with our loving Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ is the only thing that can truly satisfy our hungry souls. If we don’t realize this we will continue to be blinded by the lies of Satan and continue searching for anything and everything to fill the hole in our hearts that can only be filled by God. One question that Brandon asked this weekend that was so challenging for me to reflect on, was “how have you fallen in to the ways that Satan has shaped the culture?” My prayer is that each person who reads this blog would ask themselves this question and see how we have been blinded to Satan’s lies.

It is only by the grace of God that we are able to find victory in this war. When Christ died on the cross, He took on the punishment that we deserve for every sin that we ever have or ever will commit against God. Three days later he rose from the dead – defeating death, sin, and Satan. Our Jesus has already won the battle against Satan and we can experience that victory in our own lives. He gives us the power and the strength to resist temptation, and the forgiveness for when we do sin. When Christ died He sent the Holy Spirit to live within us to be our “helper”. The Spirit gives us the strength to follow Jesus and His Word. Ephesians 6 is an amazing passage that we discussed this weekend that talks about the “armor of God” that God has given us to fight in this battle.

I wish I could share everything God taught me this weekend, but if I did this may be the world’s longest blog post. My prayer for you and me is that we would daily be aware of this battle that we are fighting against Satan, that we would resist the temptations and schemes he uses to pull us from Christ and that we would use the Armor of God to fight in this battle. I pray that we would be reminded that Christ has already won the ultimate victory and we will experience the fullness of that victory when He returns to call His people to be with Him in eternity. Spiritual warfare is so evident in this city so pray that as Brandon and I seek to do ministry here we would not become shaped by the culture (and ultimately Satan), but that God would use us for His glory and to proclaim His truth in this city.

Never a dull moment...

We have been living in New York City for 2 ½ weeks…..which feels like 2 months! It has been a very eventful but exciting time so far in our new home. Brandon has been busy with meetings and beginning to do ministry with the Gallery Church. I have been busy taking care of the cutest 2 year old in Manhattan (I really love my job!) There have definitely been some major adjustments in how we do life….going to the grocery store, commuting to work, doing laundry, falling asleep in the “city that never sleeps”. These everyday things are so much different here than what we were used to in Kentucky.

This past week held some greater challenges than the everyday lifestyle changes. Monday afternoon Brandon started to experience some very intense back pains throughout the day. As he tried to go on with his normal routine the pain kept getting worse and continued into the evening. After going to the immediate care center a few blocks down from our apartment we discovered there was a chance he could have kidney stones. We thought the medicine we received there would help, and it did for a few hours. At midnight he woke up with intense pain that was worse than before.  We decided to go to the emergency room, we chose the first one we found that seemed to be pretty decent. (FYI – “Decent” should never be a word that describes an emergency room that you attend). I figured on a Monday night we wouldn’t have to wait too long to be seen by the doctor….obviously I had never experienced a hospital in NYC.

This was one of the most eventful nights I think we may ever have in this city. As we were waiting in the ER we met so many different people (including one lady with a rainbow, Mohawk wig) and witnessed so many crazy situations. What we thought would be an ER trip that lasted maybe 4 or 5 hours turned in to an all night event. Once we finally got called back to the area where the doctors were, it was more crowded and crazy in there than it was in the waiting room. It looked similar to what you see in the movies when a really bad tragedy happens – beds lined up next to each other in a huge room only separated by curtains. Unfortunately Brandon had to stay in the hospital for 2 days, but finally Wednesday afternoon he came home and began to feel much better. It was a crazy and stressful week for us both, but we are so thankful that Brandon is feeling so much better.

Just like any struggle or trial God taught us a lot through this process. God often reminds us of our human frailty because we so often forget of our complete and utter dependence on Him.  As we seek to do ministry and live in this amazing, busy city we must remember that we are unable to do anything on our own. We must daily die to ourselves and surrender to Christ so that we are constantly fully dependent on Him.

During this past week we were so thankful for people who God has placed in our lives to care for us. Our families, although they are hundreds of miles away, were so helpful at all hours of the night and cared for us so well. Our brothers and sisters in Christ here in the city shared this burden with us. It was such a beautiful picture of the body of Christ to see so many people say they were praying for us or to take care of other needs we had. We are so thankful for the community God has given us here in New York City.

We are excited to see what God continues to do in our lives through this journey. It has been a wonderful and challenging 2 ½ weeks but we feel so blessed to be here serving our God. Next weekend is our church wide retreat, which we are very excited about. Brandon will be preaching 2 sermons on our retreat so pray for him as he prepares this week! Pray that we would continue to fully rely on Jesus in all that we do as we seek to honor Him in this city.