It has been quite a long time since I have updated my blog, most of the time forget that I even started it! Much has happened in the time that has passed since I wrote last!
The main thing we are excited about is we have found a church body that we love and have been able to really get involved in! We have been praying and longing for this since we moved over 2 years ago! We knew that we were lacking in our life without a church body to call home but we didn't have any idea how much until we found one! We spent the first two years here searching for a church close to us in Franklin. We were so determined to find a church in our community area. After trial and error and more trial and error we finally decided to reach out past Franklin. About a year ago Tyler a guy Nate worked after listening to Nate talk about our church hunting frustration said we should really consider trying his church. We have had many churches suggested to us and we would go with our hopes high just to be discouraged again. This church was in West Nashville about 25 minutes from us so we up to this point had not wanted to drive that far. We finally broke down and decided along with our good friend Chris to try out Immanuel Church in Nashville www.immanuelnashville.com. We are so thankful that we made this decision. Within our first month attending we were able to go to a weekend John Piper conference the church was putting on and get involved in their weeknight men's and women's bible studies! We have already began to make new friends and have people to talk with on Sunday mornings! This may sound small but after walking in and out of churches for 2 years with no one to talk to coming into church and having conversations feels amazing!! The Women's group I am attending is going through Tim Keller's Galatians study! I am loving it! Learning a lot and getting to know some amazing women who really desire community with one another! Nate attends the men's group led by the Pastor Ray Ortlund Jr. They typically talk more in depth about the sermon from Sunday. Something Nate also loves is they have to things they do every week as men to build community! First they have "Walking in the Light" time based off of 1 John 1:7 where they confess sin with one another and pray for eachother. Second they always end their meetings with "Honor Time" where the men have a chance to encourage one another with words of edification. Just in front of a group calling one another out for encouraging things they have noticed in one another! He always leave feeling challenged and edified! We have already been so blessed and challenged in our walks with Christ in the past two months we have been attending! There is a Franklin House Church that is starting up with a group of members that live in our area that we are so excited to start meeting with more regularly!! Finding this church has really allowed us to take a huge deep breath and feel okay about sticking around Nashville a little longer! I especially was having such a hard time settling in and being content here and now I feel like with a good church body I can do that :) This Saturday we will attend the New Members class with Pastor Ray and be able to officially become members!
We are so excited to officially be a part of a church body again!!
Thanks to those of you who have been praying for us!! We are so thankful for you!!
Celeste and Nate
