We do not have words to fully tell you how grateful we are for all of you. Calvary Chapel Oxnard has been our church home for the last nine years. We have grown and learned so much during our time with you. When we were newly married and new to Ventura, we spent a good while "church shopping." We focused our search in Ventura since we wanted to be part of a church close by where we could dig in, get connected and get involved. As we visited various churches, none of them felt like home. During that time, my aunt was attending Wednesday night services at CCO, and really encouraged us to check it out. We were hesitant at first because of our search parameters of Ventura, but went anyway.
[Side Note: The first Sunday we went to CCO, as we walked in the foyer and down the hall, we realized we had been there before! Several years prior, while in college, we were in Oxnard for a Fall Retreat with Campus Crusade for Christ. One evening during the retreat, we met at CCO for our time of worship and teaching.]
The first Sunday we attended, we knew that was to be our home church, and Lance wasn't even teaching that week! What really stood out to us was the time of worship, that people were really engaged. That was something we hadn't seen at the other churches we visited. It was obvious that God's presence was there in His people, through their worship and desire to give Him glory and learn from His word.
And what I love about the way we were introduced to the church, is that it wasn't the pastor that was the draw (not to knock on Lance, we love his teaching!), but it was the body of Christ being a representation of Jesus. Just like Chris spoke about yesterday, every person at CCO is the church, it's not the building or the staff.
From that time on we have been welcomed in to CCO. We have spent most of our married life there, dedicated our two kids there in front of you all, laughed, cried, prayed and served with so many of you. We have learned so much from you and grown in our own walks by learning from your examples. You have celebrated in seasons of rejoicing with us, and many of you prayed with us through our struggle to conceive a second child.
When we bought our first home, the condo we will be moving out of in two weeks, many of our friends from the worship team and our home group showed up early on a Saturday morning to help us move. So many, that a coworker of mine who came to help was floored by amount of people who were there. You were a tangible example of Jesus to him by your service to us.
We are overwhelmed by your love, your prayers, your generosity, and your support to our family through this journey. As Chris said yesterday, this is the hardest thing we have done, to step out in faith like this. And it feels like the hardest time has been the last few weeks. God is providing and has opened some doors for us, like Chris' new job at Calvary Shoreline. But our future housing still remains a mystery. I have struggled and worried over this, the exact thing I am not to do ("Do not worry," Matt. 6:33). And then Chris found this quote from A.W. Tozer as he was cleaning out his office last week:
How completely satisfying to turn from our limitations to a God who has none. Eternal years lie in His heart. For Him time does not pass, it remains; and those who are in Christ share with Him all the riches of limitless time and endless years. God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.
So I am hanging on to the promise that God is faithful, and since He called us in to this journey, He will get us there. Please continue to pray for us, and we look forward to sharing with you how God provides!
To CCO, we love you and will continue to pray for you. God has big, new things in store for you and we are excited to watch them unfold. Thank you for letting us journey with you.
2 comments:
Michelle, My Mom often said "Gods not punctual, but He's always on time". You Chris and the rest of us have witnessed His faithfulness as your family steps out in response to His calling. He has chosen this journey for your family, has already miraculously intervened for all of us, and He;s not going to stop now.
Love you all so much & already miss you. I have the cover of Chris book on my wall and every time I look at it, I send up a prayer for all of you.
When God says He will take you somewhere or to go somewhere you can bet you will get there;
35 ¶ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
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