Summer is here in the mountains, and it has brought the perfect weather for hikes and lake days in Robbinsville. It also means more mowing and weed eating around ETM's property.
The past two months have been some of the busiest Sarah and I have experienced. They have been filled with moves (more on that later), a wedding, anniversaries, and birthdays, as well as additional preaching opportunities, ETM's annual board meeting, and events with RFBC's youth group.
As we have mentioned before, ETM's president - Colin McDougall - has been prayerfully searching for his replacement for several years. Over the past few months, the Lord has answered that prayer through a man named Vali Tent. Colin has known and discipled Vali for decades, and recently Vali felt the Father calling him and his family to Robbinsville to take the position of president for Eternal Truth Ministries. This change of leadership was made official at the beginning of June during the annual ETM board meeting.
It is an exciting time, as we celebrate the work God has done through Colin's service and as we anticiapte what He will do in this new chapter. Vali and his family are from Romania, and he has unique connections that may open doors with new churches.
Before the board meeting, there were several big tasks that needed to be completed, mainly moving several households. In mid-May we worked to move Colin from his old house to a new home he has been building for several years. It was a joy to see that project completed!
After his move, Sarah and I packed our things and moved from an apartment on campus to the house Colin moved out of. We have been busy unpacking and settling in as we seek to make the home ideal for hosting families for meals and Bible study. There have been many curveballs along the way, including internet outages, water line leaks, and other property maintenance that has stretched our abilities, but we are learning and reestablishing order in the midst of it.
I have been given the opportunity to speak in 3 different churches over the past couple months. The first was a new experience. Our friend David Thacker invited us to preach at the church he is pastoring - Immanuel Baptist Church - in Kinston, North Carolina. We were able to spend time with David, Dana, and their kids, as well as with our friends Frank and Jasmine Cline (all pictured above!). We left that trip feeling refreshed and ready to take on the busy next few weeks. You can check that sermon out here, along with the two other sermons I preached.
As always, we are so grateful for your support and encouragement, and we thank the Lord for every one that is a part of our support team. Please pray that the Father would oversee the changes at ETM involved with a change in leadership, for Vali and his family, and for local churches to seek out discipleship. If there are ways we can be praying for you, please reach out to me or Sarah. Thank you!
Here are some pictures from a very busy 2 months!
We got to celebrate my parents' 40th Anniversary(!!!) by throwing them a surprise party.
Our life group ended in May, and in our second to last meeting we got to celebrate a birthday with a fish fry with fish one of our families provided.
Lunch break while moving into our home. We were blessed with many people from our church who volunteered to help us move on Memorial Day.
Finally, from ETM's board meeting. This group is made up of ETM board members, staff, and 2 pastors who partner with ETM.
