I know that it has been quite some time since I've blogged, and I have a back log of posts that I want to do in the next few days, but I wanted to take a minute to explain my absence. Things have been just a tad bit busy around here and we are excited about all God is doing!
The big announcement is that Sutphen's are moving. In less than 20 days now we will be packing up a truck and heading out to Burlington, VT; our new home. Now I want to address 3 common questions that I'm sure will be running through your head right now (if you didn't already know about our plans): Why Burlington? What will you be doing there? But don't you love Minnesota, your church, and all your great friends there?
First, why Burlington? Well there are a couple of different answers to that question. The first, and foremost reason, is because Vermont is in desperate need of the gospel and we, as a family, feel called to go. Robin and I's lives have been utterly transformed by the good news of the gospel and we desire for all to come and taste and see that Lord is good. We desire for all to know and experience the life giving hope that Christ grants to those who trust in Him. This drives all of our decisions as a family. A few quick facts about the religious climate in Vermont:
*Vermont is the least religious state in all the United States according to a 2009 Gallup poll.
*According to the North American Religion Atlas, less than 3% of Vermont’s population are “evangelical adherents”.
*Those churches that are present in Vermont tend to be very liberal and are greatly swayed by the cultural environment.
*Also, a 2009 Pew Forum study ranked Vermont last in areas such as “importance of religion” and “belief in God”, while being tied for second to last in “worship attendance”.
*Children raised in Vermont are the least likely out of all 50 states to be taken to a worship service each week.
The second reason for why Burlington, is because Robin grew up there. Robin has first hand knowledge of the people of Vermont and the unique culture that is present there. When he lived in Vermont, he never once heard anyone tell him about the good news of the gospel, and God has continued to ignite a passion in his heart to go back and share what he never heard.
Second, what will we be doing there? We will be helping a church plant that began last winter in Burlington, VT called Burlington City Church. The Lord led us to Kevin, the lead planter, as we were researching what was going on in Burlington. We found his website for the non-profit that he began along with the church, and started to build a relationship with him. In February we went out east to visit and had a wonderful time spending some time with several families out there that are part of this church plant, and quickly felt God's affirmation that this is where he desired us to be.
More details on this to come as we continue along this journey!
Lastly, but don't you love Minnesota, your church, and all your great friends there? More than the written word can express! This move is definitely bitter sweet, and there will be many tears shed as we leave this wonderful place behind. Sovereign Grace Church is truly a special group of people that has become our family. God has used these three years very specifically as He has brought much sanctification to our lives individually as well as together in our marriage and family. We are not the same people we were three years ago, and we are eternally grateful that God brought us here.
But, as much as we love these people and this place, and as much as they are amazing blessings from the Lord, they are not what drives our life and our decisions. As followers of Christ, we are called to count all things a loss compared to knowing Christ. Christ alone is supposed to sit on the throne of our hearts, and to not answer a call He has put on our lives because we love people or a place more, reflects that those wonderful blessings have become idols in our lives as we are not willing to give them up for the sake of the gospel.
Mark 10:29-30 says, "Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life."We cling to these truths as we move forward, and we cling to God who is our refuge.
So how can you be praying for us? Well God sold our house in 6 days! This is truly amazing as just weeks before we listed it our realtor (who is a believer) was saying that it would have to be a God thing for it to sell for what we needed it to! So now we are just scrambling trying to get everything in order, as things moved much faster than we anticipated. Robin has had several interviews with a few companies, so please pray that the Lord provides a job for him that he could enjoy and that would provide for our family well. Also, please pray for an apartment. The rental market is really hot in Burlington and they have less than 1% vacancy at any given time. So please pray that God would provide the perfect place for us as a family.
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| Us standing on Church St. in the heart of Burlington. The church behind us is the Universalist Unitarian Church that Robin grew up going to. |
Solia Deo Gloria!
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