We did have one major change to our life this year - a very difficult change, but a beautiful one following the Lord. We changed churches. I posted the message we wrote to friends at the end of this that describes the process. October began a new world for our family - something very unfamiliar to us, yet something very needed and wonderful. We are really enjoying our new church home and family.
Here are our pictures from Fall - enjoy!
Back to School Photos
Nathan enjoying his hair whipping in the wind! haha
Lots of hiking!
Chess competition
Making meals to feed the hungry oversees!
We decided to finally destroy and demo the boys' bathroom!
Thanksgiving at their Enrichment Program
Helping prepare Thanksgiving meals for the community.
Thanksgiving
Hiking!
Color day at school - each grade had a color.
Learning how to shoot!
He's 15!! Hard to believe!
My movie buff boys!
Off to First Refuge's Gala
Mean Green night!
Many of you have asked or inquired upon our family, so I wanted to take a little time to share. Through much prayer, counsel, and seeking the Lord, our family decided back in October that it was time for us to change churches. This decision came from more than a year on our knees in prayer and in counsel. We moved here as part of the leadership of a church plant team to begin a collegiate church here in Denton (HOPE Fellowship Church) in May 2000, so this decision has not been an easy one for our family. We were also part of a church plant team in Orlando, Florida for 3 years prior to Denton, and before that had leadership roles in our church in College Station. (All three part of Great Commission Churches/Collegiate Church Network) Wrestling with this idea has been scary, uncertain, at times made me more nauseas than pregnancy, and has been full of a thousand questions from each of us. In the end, the Lord’s peace filled each of us as He showed us this was HIS idea and calling and not our own. Going from being a part of every detail of a church to not knowing much of anything going on is, well, very different for us. Watching and receiving others serve and lead and minister to us – well, that’s remarkably different! Also, going from a church of about 100 to a church of thousands – it’s truly a new world. It’s a world we’ve been a part of for many years with our children as they attended Denton Bible Awanas and youth group, but the transition to it being fully our church home with so many people – it’s often felt slightly overwhelming. In a good way. But still, a tad overwhelming. There are many reasons we decided it was time to move, but the primary being to follow the Lord’s promptings in obedience, and to meet some needs and desires we have at this stage of life for our family and ministry. We look forward to what the Lord has in store for us as we continue to grow, serve, and love Him with all our hearts in a new church body. We are an open book, so please feel free to ask us in person or privately about any questions or specifics you have. Please keep us in your prayers during this transition – for strong relationships, spiritual renewal, refreshment, and growth, and for us to find ways to serve the Lord at Denton Bible Church as a family. We’ve been attending there since October while still co-leading the family homgroup of HOPE through December. For us – Monday is more than a New year. It’s a new beginning from all we’ve ever known as a married couple of 21yrs and as a family. It’s a new adventure of faith that we’re excited to watch unfold as the Lord determines our steps for His purposes in 2018. Lord, we surrender ourselves and our family to you! (And now you know. And for the many friends that have been praying for us, and those of you who have greeted us so kindly to DBC - THANK YOU!! 
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