3. We Are Helping to Plant a Church

#3
We Are Helping to Plant a Church


When the man and I lived in Los Angeles, there came a point when we knew that truly the only thing keeping us there was the church and the group of friends we were a part of.

See..

In Los Angeles, everything is harder.

A simple trip to the grocery store could end in either a knife fight, or a strung out man dressed in an oversized clown suit asking you which aisle Mr. Goodbar could be found on

....after first introducing himself AS Mr. Goodbar...

However, don't get me wrong, there are also some INCREDIBLE aspects to LA as well, yet one must truly commit to the city to discover them. They won't be found on Hollywood Blvd, or the Chinese Mann theatre, or some desperate recreation of The Hills....they are found in the little cracks and crevasses that only a true Angelino would be able to point you to. And when you find them, the city grabs a piece of your heart.

After both individually living in LA for roughly about 8 years, God called The Man and I on to a different city. (I've referenced this often in previous posts)

And I cried.

No, you don't understand

I. CRIED. 

like a freaking baby (sorry River) when I found out we were moving.

Even when it was all said and done, and we were actually living IN Colorado, I was still living IN denial.

Stubbornly, I felt I had made all the real friends I was going to make--or really wanted to make--in Los Angeles. I TRULY felt that God couldn't possibly do in CO what He had done in LA. I was SO so wrong...you can read more about that HERE.
My faith, my character...they were both found wanting.

And then we got a phone call.

A man that Robert very much admired...a semi mentor in a way...named Jason Cunningham, felt God press it upon his heart to plant a church. Jason had been the Dean of Men at a Bible College in Southern California for the previous several years, but felt very certain that God was calling him (as his family) on as well.

Where might you ask.....?

That's correct. Denver.

Jason asked if Robert and I would pray about possibly being a part of this church plant with him (and a few other families who had heard the call as well).

SO...

We asked.

We sought.

We Prayed.

We were in.

Beginning in the Summer of this year, we simply started meeting at various parks around the Denver area as a group. We got to know one another, eat together, pray together, and genuinely seek God together for the future of this church and the salvation of Denver.

And God answered.

I am happy to report that on September 15, 2013 we will hold our first official service at Denver North High School. 

Maybe you are interested in seeing what God wants to do in Denver as well? If so, come on out!

For more info, check out:
www.pilgrimcitychurch.com

"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" 

Romans 10:14

Welcoming Bebe

In April, I was thrown the most thoughtful, beautiful, baby shower a girl could ask for. 

My mom and I decided to make a girl's weekend trip out of it, and flew out to Los Angeles to welcome the little snuglet in in style. Surrounded by many of my most favorite of women, I, along with baby, were showered

(pun-intended)

with love, laughter, awesome food, and super generous gifts. 

At this point, I hadn't shared what The Man and I were expecting, so it was a fun shower game 

(the ONLY shower game mind you! PRAISE!!) 

as my girlies cast their votes on 

A) Boy or Girl? 

and 

B) What his/her name would be.

["Thor" was amongst my favorites.]

Here are some snaps from the day, enjoy!

XO

Snugs

Goodbye Dinner

I meant to take a whole lot more photos of this wonderful dinner....

....annnnnd this was the only one that ended up happening.

Whoops!

The RoseBowl Flea Market

Yesterday The Man and I spent a majority of the day at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena.

My legs seriously got their best workout all week! 

This flea market is so vast and so big that we were literally walking through it for hours and I still don't think we saw everything!

I had all the best intentions to take video and photos of our day...but I sort of forgot...and only ended up snapping a few shots.

Enjoy anyway :)

The Adventurers

We spent Lane Kelly's last day adventuring in the Angeles National Forest.

It was absolutely gorgeous.

And for those of you that think that Los Angeles is always hot...well...you're right. 

This year in particular has been unbearably hot. (90 degrees in November, what is that!?)

BUT

Yesterday was beautiful, crisp, chilly, and Fall-like. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

It was such a great way to spend our last little bit of time with her.

Here are some snaps from our adventure.

XO.

The Act.

The Man and I live in the strangest city.

From where I sit...literally...I am overhearing the faux cheers and applause of a casting session for a

movie that may or may not get scrapped before it even sees the light of day.

An actress, known best for leather unitards and royal diaries sits in the next room. Her hard exterior gives way to the slight cracks that only one can see if they are reeeeally looking...gaping as most do. She is just a little girl; slight in stature at best; vulnerable yet guarded all at the same time.

Sort of like Lady Los Angeles herself.

L.A. often times just seems like one giant costume change.

Fads come and go. People are loved and hated all in the course of one weekend. 

We are transient in every way.

And want to know the worst part of it all?

I find that my demeanor has changed too today. Suddenly, I find it harder to make eye contact. My laughter, slightly more nervous.

Suddenly I care simply because someone...or culture...tells me I should.

Costumes and masks. Smoke and mirrors.

We all act. 

Some of us just get paid for it.