More memories

On Sunday Amanda and I had a support raising "dessert" with some old friends from Otterbein College. It was a special time for us, getting to share our Amsterdam vision with these particular people, for many reasons. Here are a few:

• The Otterbein kinship was my first taste of church Vineyard style
• It was at Otterbein that the Lord really started teaching both me and Amanda to be (and how to be) missional
• We learned the joy of passionate worship with these people
• We learned how to fail with these people
• We learned how to be bold with these people
  
• We learned how to pray with these people
• They were around when Amanda and I started our relationship (and rooted us on the whole way)
• They have remained close and faithful friends for nearly a decade
  
• The Otterbein kinship was the best community I've ever experienced (even though we had our issues!)

I think that Amanda and I both realized, as we were sharing our story and vision with them, that these friends of ours are as significant a reason of why we are going to Amsterdam that I can think of. They are so much a part of our story, so much a part of our calling, that it fills me to overflowing with joy to know that they will be loving on us and praying for us from across the ocean.

I pray - with all sincerity - that God's grace will be on Vineyard Amsterdam as abundantly as it was on the old Otterbein kinship. He was so good to us!