"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!!