We are moving to Vermont.

I have been wanting to write this post for a while, but for many reasons it has rattled around in my head instead of making its way to paper. Until now...when our moving date is just 2 weeks away.

We are moving to Vermont. It's over 1,000 miles away, and it touches Canada.

This is something we have been praying about for over 3 years, so it's a crazy feeling that it is really happening.  

From the beginning of our dating relationship, Ben and I frequently found ourselves having these exciting conversations about going to the nations and being missionaries among the least reached peoples of the world.  We literally thought we would get married, and then sometime after that, move to a foreign country for the rest of our lives. China, India, somewhere in the 10-40 window.  

In our first year of marriage, Ben would sit at the computer and research countries of great need and we would ask ourselves, "Why don’t we just pick up and go right now? What is stopping us?"

But it was the Lord.  He had plans we couldn’t foresee and was in the process of directing our steps right to where He wanted us.

Our first Christmas season together in 2010, we spent a day with our dear friends, Ben and Tiffany Presten.  We chopped down Christmas trees together, talked about traditions we wanted to start with our children one day, and then the conversation took a major shift when they announced that they were moving to New England.
 We listened intently as they shared about the specific and unbelievably clear ways the Lord had directed their hearts to this area of the country that is largely unconnected from the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Over time the Lord filled in more details of His calling for them, down to the specific stae (Vermont) and specific town (Wilmington) that they were to go.  The Lord was calling them to go to the least-churched state in the country and start a church that would be a faithful gospel witness among people who most likely have never heard a true presentation of the gospel.

They asked us to pray for them, and pray about going with them.  And as we did, the Lord placed a burden for New England – and Vermont - on our hearts as well, and it became clear that our being a part of the work that God is doing there was not an “if” but a “when.” We prayed and prayed about going with them but felt like the Lord was saying “wait.”  Ben and Tiff moved in the beginning of 2012 to start Valley Town Church in Wilmington, Vermont.  The Holy Spirit is at work in that small town and it is amazing to watch the power of the gospel on display in such an undeniable way.

As we prayed about Vermont these past three years, asking the Lord how He would want us to be involved with what He is doing there, He placed the town of Brattleboro on our hearts and started directing our attention there.  Brattleboro is an artsy, lively little town on the border of Vermont and New Hampshire.  It is considered one of the larger cities in rural Vermont (12,000 people compared to the 2,500 people in Wilmington) and is filled with people who need to hear the good news.  The Lord has confirmed that He is leading us to start a new church in this town with the passion and purpose of being disciples who make disciples of Jesus.

Sometimes I jokingly talk about our family moving to Narnia, because of the extensively long winters and the massive amounts of snow that covers that whole part of the country.  But as I watched “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” for the first time in a while on Thanksgiving Day, I was brought to tears with the uncanny symbolism between Vermont and Narnia.  Vermont, and specifically Brattleboro, has been held hostage by the enemy for so long. Minds and hearts are frosted over by lies and unbelief.  Generations have come and gone under the curse of sin and children have been born there and grown up without ever entering the doors of the church or hearing the true gospel  - Jesus loves you, He died in your place, and He was raised so you can have new life in Him. 

But Aslan is on the move.  Jesus is at work in New England  - hearts are thawing out, and signs of spring, signs of revival, are showing.  We believe Jesus has announced that the enemy’s time is up and that He is beginning to do a new thing in that city, and we are excited to be joining Him in His work.  The heartbeat of this church is going to be dependance on the Spirit, living in and being devoted to prayer, and feasting on and ministering the Word of God. 


So please pray for us, friends.  The harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are few.  The Lord has confirmed in our hearts that Brattleboro belongs to Him, and there are many people in that city that He has appointed to eternal life.  We know the victory has been won, but that the enemy will not go down without a fight...so we deeply covet your prayers. 

If you are interested in staying up with date with this journey, leave your email address in the comments or send me an email, and we will add you to our monthly email updates. Thank you!