1000+ Needed.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.  Sometimes those words aren't enough and those pictures could use a little help.  Like when you see a newborn baby and you think, "wow, that's a pointy head."  What the mother would tell you is that after hours and hours of labor and waiting and pushing, she got to hold her perfect little one for the first time.  She would also probably say that she's very glad that God designed that babe's head to fit through a small opening...
Another example would be the house we just moved into.  We moved to Baton Rouge just a few weeks ago and we were relying on family and friends to find a house for us.  But not just any house; a perfect house.  After months of looking through Craig's List ads and MLS listings and just driving around, we got the call.  They might have found the perfect house and they were sending us pictures.  We anxiously awaited the text messages.  What we saw was... well, it was pretty much a trashed house.  Every wall was white and there was trash on the terribly-carpeted floor.  Immediately after the pictures, we spoke to our friends. They assured us this was the best house they had seen and that when it was cleaned up it would be perfect.  Now you might be like me and think this sounds a little crazy.  You would be right (at least I think so).
We couldn't trust those picture texts (which is probably a sermon illustration in the making, right?), but we could trust our friends.  God has blessed us with some of the best, like-hearted, and fun people to start a church with.  They are all fully and joyfully submitted to the plans of God.  They live Philippians 2:3-4 by constantly seeking other's higher good.  Friends like these don't come around everyday.  And that is why we trusted them to find a house for us.  And let me tell you that where we live is even better than we could've imagined. And here are those lovely people that we are privileged to call friends and team mates.  

Blake and Lena Satterlee- these two are constantly seeking to serve and have the most fun no matter what the situation!

Preston and Carolynn Seibert- two of the most creative and excellent people I've ever met!

Matthew and Jillian Armstrong- this couple is smart, gracious, and so welcoming to everyone they meet!

Katie McCollister- she is a pioneer and so given to the things of God.  Every one of her conversations includes Jesus and something to make you laugh.  

Now, I'm sure, you can see how easy it would be to trust them to find a house for you.  We don't deserve such good friends, but we sure are thankful for them!

And here's a picture of our house, in case you are curious.  It was cleaned and new floors were laid before we moved in!