Just some quick updates on life, the universe, and everything:

• We have jobs! Most of you know this already, but Airen has a position in a long-term care facility as an LPN and I am hired full time at an Apple store. This was our first step and priority now that we are here, so it is exciting to see it come together.
• Went to a MultiChurch Network pastors picnic and got to know several pastors in the community!
• We have an idea about the area where we want to live and plant in urban Pittsburgh now. You can see the area on this map. We are still praying about it. So don’t hold us to it to closely!
• Just had a missions team here from a Foursquare church in West Virginia, New Hope, and are excited to go visit in the next few weeks. Made some awesome new friends from there.
• Finally, I am preaching this Sunday at New Hope Community Church in Ambridge! I’m hoping I will be able to webcast it for any of y’all that want to watch. I will let you know!

Had a great trip to Ohio this week and met with Ron & Judy Steslow! (The missional directors for our area)

Got some great guidance about some of the next steps to take. We are now looking at what our core team needs to be (and is going to look like). I sat and doodled and thought some the last day or two and as usual Ron is right.

They like to see a core team of at least 25 people. To fulfill what I feel is where God wants us to be when we start the church is at least 25 people. Minimum.

I’m praying a God-sized prayer however. I’m praying that God will send to us and help us gather 50 people to launch this church. Many of them will be from here, but some of them God might be calling from far away.

Are you one of them? It might be time to pack some bags and move to Pittsburgh. Don’t assume it is someone else. Pray and ask God if it is you.

We are going to make the unknown known. We are going out to those who don’t know who Jesus is. That’s how you change lives and change the world. You could be a part of that.

Think you might what to be a part? Call me. Email me. Let’s talk.

Honestly. I had no idea finding a place to live could be so frustrating!

First: There are like a bazillion neighborhoods here. They go from nice to scary in like one city block. So you pretty much have to look everywhere.

Second: If you list the house as “beautiful”, there should not be trash everywhere. And the roof should be intact.

Third: If you are looking for said “beautiful” house, beware of the little side street that looks like the same street. Because then you are poking around the home of a nice Irish family who, thank God, was not home.

Fourth: We have a dog. Cut options by 70%.

Oi!

PS: Sorry about the break in posting… didn’t have a good internet connection for a while. Had to turn on tethering on my iPhone.

We made it! At about 7:30pm EST yesterday night we arrived in the Pittsburgh area and are now safe and sound at Pastor Jim and Cathy Hibbards. We will be staying here for the next few weeks as we locate jobs and a place to live.

This week we will be working on getting a storage unit and our stuff unloaded from the trailer as well as showing Tyler around the city. Excited to see what God is up to in the next few weeks!

Had a great stay with my Grandparents in Arkansas! We went river rafting, saw different parts of the forest, fished, and tried to avoid getting eaten alive by the local insects!

Also on Sunday we got to visit Valley View UMC. A great little church near where my grandparents live. The pastor was a great guy who pastors three different UMC churches in the area. That’s what I call circuit riding!

Then we arrived in St. Louis yesterday and went to see that arch. We didn’t go up in it, the wait was 3 hours, but we did see it up close and personal. After that we got to have dinner with an old Bible School buddy of mine, Tim Buller, his wife Diane, and their cute two year old. Was great to talk to a fellow CFNI graduate who is still doing ministry!

Today we leave for Pittsburgh. It’s about a 10.5 hour drive and the second longest of the entire trip. Excited to arrive!

Safe in Arkansas! Had a good time in Dallas with all my friends and had some of the best chocolate cake ever!

Valentine made a friend with Kat and Jason’s dog parker and is now relaxing here in the house after a romp in the woods. Excited to be spending some time with my grandparents!

Hey everyone!

Left Phoenix yesterday – Had a great time with Airen’s brother Adam!

Was a long 12 hours drive, Valentine was stir crazy, but she was super excited to see our friends dog Toby at the end of the day! We were excited to see our friends Kris and Crystal!

Spending the rest of the day here in Big Spring and will head out to Dallas in the morning!

Yesterday was crazy busy! We:

• Drove from Riverside, CA to Chandler, AZ (About 6 hours).
• Got our hotel. (Nasty pool status, but the room is fine)
• Ate dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. (Where Airen’s brother Adam works)
• Visited our old friends Josh and Christy Dailey. (Had desserts at TGI Fridays)
• Went back to Adam’s apartment.
• Took the dog to the park. (around 12:30am)
• Went to the pool. (1am)
• Went to bed.

Whew!

Was awesome to get to spend some time with our old friends Rob and Tawni!

A quick stay, but was good to see them and relax in the evening with a game of Settlers. We are about 235 miles into our trip! A drop in the bucket compared to the whole trip, but it feels good to be on our way!

Valentine is doing good, but yesterday was only a 4 1/2 hour drive and today is 6. We will see.

Wow. It’s actually here.

With all the busy of packing and saying goodbye it is almost surreal. The morning seems quiet peaceful at home with the animals and Airen drinking coffee. Almost like any other morning.

But, today, we begin to drive to Pittsburgh. Admittedly it’s a out of the way route, but we are beginning it.

Crazy.