our small group

I've seemed to carry a "4-some" theme in my life since elementary school. Then it was me, Mary Marshall, Mandy, and Angela. In high school it was me, Anna, Molly, and Heather. In college, it was me, Libby, Katie, and Betsy. And I think I've found another 4-some, well, "8-some" I guess since at this stage in life we're all married. That "8-some" is our small group - us, Craig & Nikki, Josh & Elizabeth, and Caleb & Michelle.

Since September we have been meeting with this fantastic and godly group of guys and gals. Daniel and I had begun getting to know Craig & Nikki, our leaders, this past year. We really fell in love with their hearts for the Lord and with the ways that in the few visits we had with them, we left our time with them feeling drawn to know Jesus more. In July after we learned that we wouldn't be moving to Turkey, our hearts really longed to somehow be in community with them rather than just seeing them occasionally.



Well, as the Lord would have it, He orchestrated circumstances such that Nikki and Craig would become the leaders of our small group. we had previously been in a great small group, and our church was beginning a new "push" for building community in small groups. We weren't looking to change small groups, but in conversation with Josh, Daniel's brother, and his wife, Elizabeth, and Caleb and Michelle, a couple we'd been discipling for about a year who were also newlyweds, the six of us began having dialogue about trying to get together more regularly. This eventually developed into conversation about becoming our own small group. And so we went for it, but...we were leaderless...until in a phone conversation with Nikki, she said that she and Craig had been praying about leading a small group and that whether they led our small group or not, they wanted to really be more purposeful about getting together with Daniel and me. Well, as God had ordained it, they became our leaders. Over the past 3 months the Lord has begun birthing in all of us a deep desire for growing in Him and learning to live the abundant and joyful life that He has called us to as believers. Our group has a blast together as we are challenged in the Lord. There is both laughter and tears almost every night. The eight of us meet together for a time of worship and a brief time in the Word together, but the majority of the time is spent separated - guys with guys, girls with girls. And it's in those girl times that the tears come. After all, who ever heard of 4 guys getting together and crying!?!?! ;-) The Lord is digging deep in us to grow us and draw us into His image. It's super fun! And we really love these couples - lots!

Cheers to:
Caleb&Michelle.

Josh&Elizabeth.

Craig&Nikki.

Meredith turns ONE - belated post.

Meredith celebrated her first birthday with a hayride at Mom and Dad's. She had quite the turn out of guests - Brian's family from Baton Rouge drove up, old friends of ours from Shreveport drove over, we came in from Fort Worth, Jenny's best friend and her little boy came down from Little Rock, and a host of family and friends came from Ruston!

RUMBA!!

So, we took our first lesson in the RUMBA tonight! And it was so fun! Our friend Amanda told us about dance lessons that a man at her church gives. He just takes a couple of dollars donation - can't beat that!

For a girl who deals with issues of control and trying to lead in our marriage at times, I'm thinking these dance lessons will prove to be helpful in learning to let Daniel lead me in marriage as I learn to physically let Daniel lead me around the dance floor. Oh, God, teach me. Make me. Mold me - even through learning these latin dance moves!

Glow-in-the-Dark Festival

Our church had a glow-in-the-dark festival on October 31. We invited a family we love to come to this feast of games, candy, hot dogs, 3-legged races, and more! All the kids went home with at least half of their sacks filled with candy and big smiles all over their faces! One of the girls even asked as we were leaving, "Can I go tell your pastor 'thank you'?" ....a big step for a little girl of different faith.

birthday celebration

Our newest friend, Brendon, celebrated his birthday a couple of weekends ago. A couple of his friends he knows from India are currently students at SWBTS and we picked them up for the party. Here we are!