Thomas was in Orlando over the weekend while Elizabeth's sister Katherine (KK, as the kids call her) visited in Raleigh. We're busy getting our house to go on the market while preparing for the move to London. Here's a glimpse at what took place over the last week and how you can pray with us headed into our third weekend on the road...
On The Road In Orlando
This past Saturday Thomas flew to Orlando with the guys for their last Residency Training on the road. The guys met with a couple of church planters from Summit Network and attended Exponential. Exponential is a church leadership. The specific focus of this conference is on multiplication - the issues involved in multiplying ourselves as leaders and churches. In addition to the time at conference, Mike and Matt led a series of trainings for the guys.
There are only two more Residency Trainings left before we are commissioned by our churches. The guys will meet again in two weeks for their final training and then the guys and wives will all meet together in one month for our final training as couples. We are really going to miss the routine training and fellowship that residency has provided for us. Thankfully, the guys will be able to keep up with their cohort in the years ahead and the friendships long outlast a few scheduled meetings.
We are amazed at how fast this past year has flown by. Just a few months ago we were all meeting one another for the first time. Now we are selling homes and moving into new cities. It is hard to estimate the value and impact that being a part of this Summit Network has played for our family. Friends and family provide essential support that planting without would simply be impossible to plant. Yet the training and leadership development provided by Summit Network has been incalculable. We are so thankful for this season of training, development, and care. God has been so kind to us by providing these trainings.
KK + Kiddos
While Thomas was on the road Elizabeth's sister Katherine (KK) came to Raleigh for the weekend. Elizabeth and the kids anxiously awaited KK arrival on Saturday afternoon. They enjoyed takeout and movie on Saturday night followed by a slumber party for Perry in the guest room with KK. The sisters and kids headed to Pullen Park on Sunday. The kids went boating (that is what Perry calls the little boat ride), rode the carousel, played on the playground, and did the swings. We grabbed hamburgers for lunch and hurried home for nap-time.
Elizabeth and Katherine dropped the kids off at school and then headed back to the house to meet our realtor and handyman. We enjoyed relaxing pedicures before picking the kids up from school. Sweet Perry came from home school sick, so we had a quiet afternoon and evening. Elizabeth needed to Perry to the doctor Monday morning, so Katherine stayed a little longer to watch Shepherd.
We love our KK so much! Elizabeth and the kids had the best weekend with her. She is the best and we don't know what we would do without her.
We are hard at work on our home. In the last few days we have had handymen, a painter, an electrician, and a contractor all come by for different reasons. Our realtor, Patti, is giving a lot of helpful guidance to us in this season. We met Patti at an interest meeting for London back in the fall and God has been so kind to connect us in this season. Getting ready to sell our home is not easy. We don't like the idea of not living in this house that has hosted so many important moments for our family and ministry. We are going to miss this place.
Praying With Us
We had our third Launch Team meeting tonight where Thomas taught on our second Core Value: "We Need Jesus." We're nursing our sweet Perry back to health as she fell ill over the last few days. Thomas has a few meetings in the rest of the week as well. We're preparing for our third weekend away, too. We're headed to Tallahassee to visit our friends at City Church. Thomas is preaching on Sunday morning and to their Tuesday night college ministry. In between those appointments we are excited to spend some time sharing the vision for London with their church, staff, and leaders.
That's a lot going! We need God's provision for energy, healing, wisdom, favor, and general help over all we're attending to. Would you pray with us over the next week?
We will keep you up-to-date on all of these fronts in the next week. You can continue to journey with us right here on this blog and you can also follow along on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) at @TheWestLondonLife.
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Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
James 5:13-18