One Month In - Coffee, Baptism and Saying "Yes"

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here in Iowa for a full month already.  It feels like just yesterday we were trying to figure out how to fit a crib, a high chair, and two thousand goldfish crackers into the back of a moving truck.  

This past month has been full.  Full of faith, full of fun, full of great people, full of moments that already feel like memories—and maybe just a little too full of Tasty Tacos.  I find myself going out of my way for them a couple times a week already.  

Stepping into the role of Associate Pastor at Pathway has been both humbling and hilarious.  You don’t really know how often you’ll say “Hey Siri, take me to church.” until you transplant yourself to a new area.  We’ve lived in the Des Moines area before, but rarely found ourselves in Grimes or Johnston.  My oh my, has the area changed.  

But even in these early weeks, we already feel so blessed to be here.  We’ve had warm welcomes, powerful worship, and even warmer coffee partnered with great conversations.  I’ve loved meeting with leaders, and sitting down with some of the guys from church at various times, hearing their stories, laughing at their jokes (most of them anyway), and realizing how much faith, strength and authenticity lives in this community of believers.  

One of the brightest highlights so far was having the honor of baptizing someone very close to me.  I won’t name names (you know who you are), but let’s just say I got pretty choked up.  Totally worth it.  Those moments, raw, real, and holy, are exactly why I answered the call.  

And then there’s the unexpected “yes” moments.  Like the one where I witnessed Dan say “Sure, let's host a community night for the Women’s and Children’s Shelter!” with 72 hours notice.  God has a way of taking willing hearts and making powerful things happen from them.  What a blessing that was for those families.  The culture of saying Yes every time that we are capable of doing so is refreshing.  

I can’t reflect on the last month without taking some time to honor someone who has made this transition so incredibly smooth–not just for me, but for my entire family.  Pastor Dan, my uncle, my friend, my mentor, and now my boss, is the absolute real deal! He loves God with an infectious sincerity, leads like Jesus with grace and truth, and never misses a moment to encourage, equip and empower those around him.  Watching how he leads Pathway, and how he leads his family, is like getting a live action masterclass in Christlike leadership. I am honored to be serving under him and learning from him.  His commitment to both me and my family has been eye opening.  I’ve never witnessed such support and encouragement from a leader.   I shouldn’t be surprised at all, He has been such an incredible mentor to me over the last few years.  Now having his encouragement, his direction, and his feedback available daily, in person, is priceless.  The cherry on top is that he doesn’t just lead his family well, but he also encourages me to lead mine well, including spending some time with Tanja while she is still home from work with Evelyn.  Our family is our first ministry, and I’ve seen that in Dan, and it’s a joy to know that is a priority for him for his team as well.  

We’ve had a lot of “firsts” this month.  First Sunday, which was also my first sermon as a member of the pastoral staff here, as Dan was out of town.  My first Charlotte’s Kitchen chicken tender.  Our first toddler accident scare, when, while discovering the new home our first night, Oakley fell down a flight of stairs.  Talk about a scary moment.  Thankfully God cushioned her fall and she just had a couple bruises, but Tanja and I were so worried at first.  But more than anything it’s been a month of first glimpses—glimpses of what God is already doing at Pathway, and what He might continue to do in and through this church.  Glimpses of the culture that exists here that is so exciting.  Glimpses of the deep foundation of discipleship and faith that exist here.  And what looks like glimpses of a long future for us here.  

I’ve only got a few short weeks left of bible college.  Honestly, it’s hard to believe it’s almost over and at the same time, I’m so ready to finish.  This season has been incredibly rewarding, and I’ve gained far more than I ever expected.  My prayer now is to finish strong.  I don’t want to just rush to the end, I want to soak up everything God still has for me in these last few weeks.  These moments will soon become memories, and I know I’ll miss them more than I realize. 

We are here Pathway, and we are incredibly grateful to now call this home.  Our hearts are full, and our hope is high for all that lies ahead.  Thank you, Pathway family, for welcoming us so warmly and allowing us to be part of the story God is writing here.  It’s a story we are humbled to join and we are ready to help write, together.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your fiath will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)