It is pretty amazing the things God does when we allow Him.
Several posts ago, I told the story of Lauren Slone talking to my wife this past summer about how God has called them to be a part of planting this church with us. I still tell this story all the time because it reminds me that God is working beyond our borders and influence. Well, it happened again a couple of months ago, so I want to tell you another God story.
Back Story:
When I went to college at East Texas Baptist University I knew no one. I packed up the things that I had and made my way up Highway 59 into the Pineywoods of East Texas. When I thought I was in the middle of nowhere, I saw a sign for my school... 50 more miles. For a kid who grew up in the suburbs of Houston, this place was tiny. However, I believed God wanted me there, so I went to freshman orientation and welcome week activities. One the first day of welcome week I ran into this larger-than-life, loud, center-of-attention guy named Justin Hart. We immediately hit it off and became very good friends. Although, it was sometimes hard to hang out with him because he was always posted up in the lobby of the freshman girl's dorm. But I guess that strategy paid off because that is where he tricked Tammy into being his girlfriend, and then a few short years later, his wife.
Well, we graduated and I came back home to Houston and they stayed in East Texas doing ministry. We stayed in touch and would occasionally get-together when he visited his family who lived in the same suburb as I did. They ended up moving back down to Houston a few years later and rented an apartment right down the road from Heritage Park, the church I work at. I invited them to our church (several times) and eventually, they came. Tammy even photographed our wedding, I think out of pity for Kacee having to marry me, but I will take it. Soon after that, we started a small group with a bunch of young married couples and that is where our two families became best friends. God did some amazing things in that small group and I am so grateful for the friends we have made through it. We have a phrase that we say at Heritage Park, "Transformation happens more often in a circle than it does a row." I saw this first-hand.
Our 2 families have gone through a LOT together. We have cried together over the babies in our lives- both coming and leaving. We always laugh together. We have gone on mission trips together. We have vacationed together. We get together at least weekly and play games. Tammy and Kacee always talk about how they feel like they are sister-wives, and they kinda are. We take each other's kids to school and build playgrounds together. Not much happens in our family that they are not the first people to know about it.
Present Day:
When Kacee and I felt called to plant a church, the Harts were so excited for us. But, once the newness of our decision wore off, the reality of us moving away from them set in and we both became sad. Several people from our church had assumed that they would be coming with us to plant, but we did not want anyone to come out of obligation, nor did they want to come just because other people expected them to.
If you know them and have asked them if they were coming to plant the church with us, their response has been, "We are praying about what God wants us to do." And that is the 100% truth. Yes, Kacee and I wanted them to come, they are our best friends and their heart for the Lord is amazing. But, we trusted the Lord above our desires. When I prayed for them I would always ask God to show them what He wanted them to do, but then I had a meeting with a church planting friend that changed my prayers. He told me that I need to think about who I wanted on our team. That I NEEDED people who were great at throwing parties and making people feel loved and welcomed. You know who can throw the best parties... Justin and Tammy! That day I began to ask God to place a desire to come and plant with us. I started praying that prayer on January 15th. I never said anything to the Harts but began to bug God about them.
One month later in our group chat, Justin started a group FaceTime call. I thought that it was on accident, but then I saw that there were 2 people on the call. I answered and so did Kacee. Picture this: 4 people in 2 different houses all on their own phone in a group FaceTime call. They looked at each other and Tammy said, "Do you want to tell them?" I was thinking, "Tell them what? What is about to happen?" Justin clears his throat and says, "We gonna plant a church! We are in!!!!" WHAT?!?! NO WAY!!!! I'm not crying you're crying.
They proceeded to individually tell us how God had revealed this to time individually through different things. That is their story to tell, but it is pretty cool how God works. I am still giddy about it, even this morning when I was praying I could not stop smiling about them jumping on board. It is amazing to see how God is working in other people's lives all around us, calling them to this vision that HE gave us.
Who knows, you could be the next one He calls?!?! It's gonna be fun!!!
Several posts ago, I told the story of Lauren Slone talking to my wife this past summer about how God has called them to be a part of planting this church with us. I still tell this story all the time because it reminds me that God is working beyond our borders and influence. Well, it happened again a couple of months ago, so I want to tell you another God story.
Back Story:
When I went to college at East Texas Baptist University I knew no one. I packed up the things that I had and made my way up Highway 59 into the Pineywoods of East Texas. When I thought I was in the middle of nowhere, I saw a sign for my school... 50 more miles. For a kid who grew up in the suburbs of Houston, this place was tiny. However, I believed God wanted me there, so I went to freshman orientation and welcome week activities. One the first day of welcome week I ran into this larger-than-life, loud, center-of-attention guy named Justin Hart. We immediately hit it off and became very good friends. Although, it was sometimes hard to hang out with him because he was always posted up in the lobby of the freshman girl's dorm. But I guess that strategy paid off because that is where he tricked Tammy into being his girlfriend, and then a few short years later, his wife.
Well, we graduated and I came back home to Houston and they stayed in East Texas doing ministry. We stayed in touch and would occasionally get-together when he visited his family who lived in the same suburb as I did. They ended up moving back down to Houston a few years later and rented an apartment right down the road from Heritage Park, the church I work at. I invited them to our church (several times) and eventually, they came. Tammy even photographed our wedding, I think out of pity for Kacee having to marry me, but I will take it. Soon after that, we started a small group with a bunch of young married couples and that is where our two families became best friends. God did some amazing things in that small group and I am so grateful for the friends we have made through it. We have a phrase that we say at Heritage Park, "Transformation happens more often in a circle than it does a row." I saw this first-hand.
Our 2 families have gone through a LOT together. We have cried together over the babies in our lives- both coming and leaving. We always laugh together. We have gone on mission trips together. We have vacationed together. We get together at least weekly and play games. Tammy and Kacee always talk about how they feel like they are sister-wives, and they kinda are. We take each other's kids to school and build playgrounds together. Not much happens in our family that they are not the first people to know about it.
Present Day:
When Kacee and I felt called to plant a church, the Harts were so excited for us. But, once the newness of our decision wore off, the reality of us moving away from them set in and we both became sad. Several people from our church had assumed that they would be coming with us to plant, but we did not want anyone to come out of obligation, nor did they want to come just because other people expected them to.
If you know them and have asked them if they were coming to plant the church with us, their response has been, "We are praying about what God wants us to do." And that is the 100% truth. Yes, Kacee and I wanted them to come, they are our best friends and their heart for the Lord is amazing. But, we trusted the Lord above our desires. When I prayed for them I would always ask God to show them what He wanted them to do, but then I had a meeting with a church planting friend that changed my prayers. He told me that I need to think about who I wanted on our team. That I NEEDED people who were great at throwing parties and making people feel loved and welcomed. You know who can throw the best parties... Justin and Tammy! That day I began to ask God to place a desire to come and plant with us. I started praying that prayer on January 15th. I never said anything to the Harts but began to bug God about them.
One month later in our group chat, Justin started a group FaceTime call. I thought that it was on accident, but then I saw that there were 2 people on the call. I answered and so did Kacee. Picture this: 4 people in 2 different houses all on their own phone in a group FaceTime call. They looked at each other and Tammy said, "Do you want to tell them?" I was thinking, "Tell them what? What is about to happen?" Justin clears his throat and says, "We gonna plant a church! We are in!!!!" WHAT?!?! NO WAY!!!! I'm not crying you're crying.
They proceeded to individually tell us how God had revealed this to time individually through different things. That is their story to tell, but it is pretty cool how God works. I am still giddy about it, even this morning when I was praying I could not stop smiling about them jumping on board. It is amazing to see how God is working in other people's lives all around us, calling them to this vision that HE gave us.
Who knows, you could be the next one He calls?!?! It's gonna be fun!!!
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