Did you see Emily this past Sunday at church? She was visiting with "some guy" (ha!). Here's the testimony she shared the Sunday she moved to Bakersfield...
This month marks two years since I first arrived at Sovereign Grace. I was looking for a church home and by the end of my first Sunday, I knew that this was where I wanted to be. Thank you to Zac and Jason and Pastor Mike and Kirsi, who all made me feel welcome from my very first visit. The love of Jesus was shining out from each of you then, and two years later I see you sharing that same love with new visitors every Sunday.
Please keep loving new people like me.
On our first Sunday in this building, Rebecca read from the beginning part of the book of Joshua, where the Israelites set up memorial stones to mark God's deliverance and provision. That's what I hope to do this morning. If I were to set up a memorial stone to mark these last two years, it would be a marker of gratefulness to a generous King.
In the last two years, our generous King has blessed me again and again beyond what I could ask or think. I came here hungry for teaching and counsel anchored in Scripture and saturated with the Gospel. I found that. But, more than that, God has blessed me with friends whose counsel and encouragement is a natural extension of our relationship and our living life together.
There have been too many awesome and encouraging conversations with people in this room for me to mention everybody, but I especially want to thank Kirsi and Sue for their examples and their willingness to listen and to think and pray with me through how to love and respect my parents as a grown woman living under the same roof. I would never have thought to ask God for that encouragement, but He knew what I needed.
I love that this church does what the bible prescribes.
Older women disciple younger women. Older men disciple the younger men. Keep doing this.
I am sad to leave, but I am excited for the future at Sovereign Grace.
Something specific? If nothing less maybe an anticipation of more “Emilys” who will come and be encouraged, cared for, etc.?
And I am excited for the things that God has for me in this next chapter. I go in confidence that He will provide generously from His goodness in the future as He has in the past.
