After nearly 3 months since journeying from Pennsylvania, answers have begun to fall into God’s places here in Oregon. We feel our feet are placed a bit more firmly on solid ground.
DREW GOT A JOB!!! Please praise God with us!
While we initially expected this to be a “gap-month” kind of experience, his start date of 7/22/19 is 3 months since he was employed at Manor Church. During this unanticipated Sabbatical, we traveled across the country viewing and experiencing amazing Creation beauty as a family. We connected with some new friends along the way and seasoned friendships upon arrival in Oregon. We have experienced some forest, mountain, river, and coastal Creation beauty in Oregon, as well. Drew’s new position will be an 8-5 office job (he'll write more about it in a subsequent post) leaving the evenings, weekends, and emotional/creative bandwidth for family and community engagement on the evenings and weekends.
SALEM, OREGON IS THE PLACE!!! Please praise God with us!
During this time, God provided housing as we were welcomed into two families’ homes as we transitioned to Salem, Oregon and continue to live with one of the families. Drew’s job will be a short 15 minute bus ride from their house. Once income from a job begins, and we find the right housing situation, we will move into our own place in Salem. Thankfully, Drew’s job location will be downtown allowing for an easy commute from almost anywhere in the city. During our travels and even in the past couple months living here, we weren’t sure if God would plant us in Salem or Portland or somewhere in between. With the provision of a job in downtown Salem, God is showing us where He is planting us.
PEACE CITY CHURCH is the name we feel God is offering us for whatever this neighborhood expression of church is. Please praise God with us!
This name seems especially fitting since our city, Salem, is drawn from the word Shalom – “Peace & Relational-wholeness with God/Self/Others/Creation”. A wise friend offered us insightful questions as we have been processing this name for a while now. Her question was (paraphrased) “How has what God has allowed us to experience and then His provision equipped us to minister to others in the future?” We have sensed a peace and confidence in God…not in particular outcomes or situations, but an overall peace in knowing God will provide what we need when we need it…not when we “think we need it”! God provided and continues to provide housing and for all our needs during this extended period of unemployment – thanks to the amazing generosity of many of you! He has provided a job as a portion of His provision for the future. He has sustained us with the peace we needed amidst many questions when we didn’t know how to handle another day of unknowns. PEACE CITY CHURCH represents the promise and the reliable confidence of God - even when our felt experience of life on this beautiful and broken earth seems the opposite.
Please Pray with us:
1. We pray for people of peace and diversity to come alongside us in the planting process for a neighborhood expression of church.
2. We pray for God’s guidance in discerning the particular neighborhood God is calling us to plant relational roots.
3. We pray for deep, meaningful, Faithful-to-God connections for our kids. They both need trusted friendships in this new place we call home.
Your praises for God’s answers & provision and your prayers on the questions are a blessing!
Please let us know how we may join in prayer to lift up your praises and struggles. Blessings in your journey being loved by God and loving others,
Drew & Millyellen
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