We are now Iowa'ins!!

It has been a long while since I have posted. That is because we have recently gone through a BIG transition. Dan, Halle, and I now live in Cedar Falls, Iowa. About mid February Jesus began leading Dan and I to the next step in our lives. We felt that we were being released from Four Points Church and the work Jesus had called us to in Acworth, GA. We had moved to Acworth in August of 2007 with Brent and Sarah Stephens along with three others to plant a church. Since then It has been an amazing year and a half. Jesus has done huge things! The church has gone from seven people in Brent and Sarah's living room to now over a hundred in an elementary cafeteria. Jesus has grown Dan and I in so many different areas during our time in Acworth. The decision to leave Four Points was a tough one. We absolutely LOVE the church and serving under and alongside Brent and Sarah. But Dan and I really still feel a strong calling to plant a church as well one day. Before we do that we know that we still have a lot of growing and learning to do. Four Points was still not at the point financially to take on another staff member full time so Dan was working a job in down town Atlanta that was just making ends meet for us. Dan wants to go back to school and get his masters in theology. He was working a forty plus hour week with over an hour commute each way to work then having meetings during the evenings with the church and then church and church events on the weekend left no time for school.  After much prayer and fasting Dan and I felt a release and even a calling to move forward to the next task. So then began the search for the next place Jesus would have us serve.  About mid February through the end of March we interviewed with several different churches.  The week of Easter we accepted a job as worship/student pastor at Glad Tidings Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa and then began our move to our new home up north. We are really excited about this new adventure Jesus has given to us and are super psyched to work under and alongside Joe and Tonya Henson. 

It is truly bitter sweet. We LOVE all of our Four Points family and will miss each and every one of them so much. There are some families that we can't go without recognizing and thanking. These are families that we were able to get really close to and will miss a alot. They were such a wonderful part of our lives and will always be. 

Brent, Sarah, James David, Abbey, and Bryar Stephens have to be the coolest family ever. We are so thankful that that one night in Louisiana they sat down with us to eat and asked us to join them on an adventure to move to Atlanta (where they didn't know anyone, they didn't have any jobs lined up, and had no place to live yet) to plant a church. We absolutely LOVE  these guys. They have taught and blessed our family soooo much!  Sarah and Brent always ALWAYS looked out for Dan and I. They gave us blessing after blessing after blessing  and then some. They were truly an example of how shepherds look after, care, and feed their sheep. A part of them has been ingrained in us forever and I am so glad. They have taught us many great things to do in the church and to do it whole heartedly with excellence for JESUS!  They have also taught us how to be good parents. Sarah has shared so much wisdom with me and helped me through so many things that I as a new mom had no idea about. Her phone rang very often with questions about being a mommy. I've always told her she has an invisible super mom cape because she is truly a super hero. I will definitely miss sitting under Brent's teaching. It has been so rewarding to watch him grow in knowledge and teaching the Bible. What an awesome teacher he has become and is still growing into. I could seriously go on and on and on about this family. Stephens family, I just want you guys to know that we are beyond BLESSED to have served with you guys and we LOVE  you guys so much. You will forever be some of our best friends.
Jason and Laurie Lefevers are two of our best friends. If we were playing poker, watching movies, playing board games, swimming at the lake, jumping off big boulders, going to the Westin at 11:00 at night, going to a Braves game, going shopping, hanging out at the mountain house, enjoying some really great food cooked by Laurie, playing golf, writing songs, playing music, laughing at crazy stuff on you tube, eating tons of ice cream, dreaming BIG together,  hospital visits when Jessica was super emotional (oh..and Jason too:) or staying up late talking forever which turned into late night sleep overs...what ever we ended up doing together, we had a blast every time we hung out with these two! We had MANY great memories together that Dan and I will never forget. Jason and Laurie have blessed us in so many ways. Laurie has to be the most giving person I've met. I think over half of Halle's wardrobe from 0-24 months was given to us by Laurie. Jason is an awesome musician who Dan loved to play and worship along side. What an amazing couple of people. Thank you guys so much for all the great memories, the great food, the great conversations, for EVERYTHING! Thank you for being such amazing friends. We love you guys so much. Please know you will forever hold a special place in our hearts.  
The Nails family has been such a blessing in our lives. It was always a HUGE treat to be able to hang out with this amazing family. They are wonderful parents that we can gain so much from by just watching. Jennifer is a very loving and caring mother of four. She has inspired me in being patient, loving your children, teaching your children, endurance and multitasking. I really look up to you Jen. You guys have hearts of gold that shine Jesus! Thank you guys for all that you have given and done for us. I could never say in words how thankful we are for everything. You have always given of yourselves to help us when ever needed. We love you so much! Your children and you will always be very special friends in our lives.
Jen, Kevin, Carter and Shiloh (aka: Mr. Wiggles)....what incredibly special people! We have been tremendously blessed by this families friendship.  You guys have always given special time, gifts, encouragement, and love to Dan, Halle, and I. We are forever grateful for you guys. We always have had an amazing time with you. Jen, you have an awesome servants heart that shines Jesus and have the gifts of encouragement and generosity! You are a wonderful mom and probably the sweetest person I have ever met. We love you guys and are so thankful for the time we have got to spend with you. We have learned a tremendous amount from you. You will forever be our friends. We love you so much.
The Robertson family...GREAT people!! It was always such a blessing to hang out with this family. Chasity was the incredibly sweet lady who watched Halle every other week. Terry and Chasity are wonderful parents that you can only wish that they rubbed off on you in some way. They both have tremendous servants' hearts that shine Jesus! They are so kind, caring, giving, and loving. And you can really tell they are in love with Jesus!  Their house was always filled with a loving warmth. I was proud and honored for her to watch Halle.  Thank you both so much for the time and kindness you always gave to us. We appreciate so much you watching our precious Halle. We love you guys a lot and please know you will always be looked up to and considered our dear friends. 
The Powers family our great friends. Bev has always been there to offer me wonderful advice on mommy hood and she has always been there to help. Bev inspires me in her perseverance she has in any situation. Her eagerness to learn more and grow more is contagious. She is a mommy who loves her girls. She has given Halle so many beautiful hand me down clothes that are such a blessing. Bev we are so thankful for you and our friendship. Thank you for everything you have done for us. We love you  guys so much. You will always be considered great friends of ours.

All of our Four Points family has been an unbelievable blessing in our lives. We love this family of Jesus followers and seekers. Never have I been a part of a church where everyone is so hungry to learn the word of God and to serve and to seek Jesus more and more. We have grown tremendously at Four Points and will always look back at this part of our lives as some of our most monumental life changing moments. We thank Jesus for the time he has given us to  serve at his wonderful church. We love you guys beyond what words could express. We look forward to the time in the future where we get to visit and reconnect and see the AMAZINGLY BIG things Jesus has done and is continuing to do at Four Points. 

Dan, Halle, and I are now really excited about the new adventure Jesus has laid out before us in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Cedar Falls is a college town in the middle of a bunch of corn fields. The church is less than a half mile off the college campus; a prime location. We are really psyched to get involved in serving the community and sharing the gospel of Jesus with them. The church family has been amazing in welcoming us to our new home. We had over twenty people show up to help us move in and they all came with bags of groceries on their arms to stock our pantry. 
We have been blessed to stay in this amazing home for a couple of months until we find a rental place of our own. The house has been an incredible place to unwind and relax. We call it our vacation home. The friends of the family to whom it belongs to has left it full furnished until they close on the house in June. So the house came fully loaded with TWO flat screen TVS...woohoo! We are enjoying this beautiful place while we have it for sure. Yes, this street is full of cars from the church family and the streets behind us were even piled full of cars.
A day after we got there we were surprised by some pretty incredible guests...DAN'S PARENTS flew in from Germany and HIS BROTHER MIKE flew in from Florida to welcome us to our new home. They all stayed for a week. It was really one of the BEST surprises we have ever had! We are so incredibly thankful for them coming to visit! We love when they are able to be here with us, it just goes by way to fast!!  Thank you Doug, Karen,and Mike for a wonderful visit! We love you guys so much!! What a GREAT surprise!
Halle really likes it up there! She's catching a really HIGH ride.
Thank you JESUS for a great, smooth, and exciting transition. We love you and worship you forever!