Perspective Shift

Spring is finally here. I’m typing and looking out my window at a beautiful tree with snow white flowers that recently bloomed. My husband loves spring. All the bright colors, the new buds of green coming on all the trees, and the slightly warmer weather. He is the best at helping me stop to “smell the roses” and enjoy what’s around me. He gives me a good perspective shift when he points out the simplest beauty of creation.

I spoke to my friend Mr. Google and found out that a "perspective shift" means changing or altering your viewpoint, understanding, or way of looking at something, often leading to a new or different interpretation or understanding of a situation, problem, or idea.” Recently, I needed help with this and I didn’t even realize it!

There has been so much going on lately with raising two toddlers while pregnant with baby #3, adjusting to Nick teaching at the High School, looking for a new building, and all that comes with the church, and stuff going on with family and friends back home. The weight of it all can be a lot sometimes. Nick and I, in separate ways, have realized how isolating it is to be up here planting a church. We know we aren’t the first ones to do this and feel this way, nor are we the last, so we are confident that we will get through it because the Lord is faithful and we firmly believe in what we are doing for His Kingdom. It’s a strange dichotomy; Nick and I wrestle with the feeling that life is going great and we love everything going on, to really feeling a burden of loneliness as we try and manage it all.

We have always felt that people in the Northwest, or maybe just in our specific area, kind of keep to themselves. I’m sure there are lots of social people, but as a whole, we realize that people can easily isolate themselves with their small families, their small group of friends, or simply by themselves. Especially in the winter! There is no real sense of community, hospitality or sharing life with others.

"And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers."

Acts 2:42

We are so thankful for our church and the community that it has brought us. I am thankful for the friendships I have gained over our two-plus years of living here. But, when times feel overwhelming, I can’t help think, this would be easier if _____________. (Fill in with….my family was close by, if this friend or that friend were here, if I had more strong believers that I could talk to and bounce things off of, a married couple that we could be friends with and do fun things together, or just more friends and connection in general.) 

But a wonderful godly wise friend back in California reminded me that you can have ALL of that and STILL feel isolated. And that was the perspective change I needed. I didn’t even realize that I bought into the lie and was basically telling the Lord that life would be better or easier (in this one capacity) if we didn’t follow His prompting to plant a church. The grass is always greener on the other side, right? Or how about we pick a different view and enjoy the flowers behind us?

God is so good. We are thankful for the hills and the valleys in this church planting process. We rejoice that the Lord brought us up here with just Nick’s parents to start this church. We are learning to really lean into our own precious family that we are growing, and to build lasting memories and connections with each other. We truly believe that we will look back at this time and see that our marriage grew because of the “isolation” we felt. 

I would also like to add, we have SO many friends and family back home that love us and are constantly praying for us and even financially supporting us. This by no means takes away from that, but just shares insight into the process and emotions that we feel month to month. But if you are one of those friends, please know that we greatly appreciate it and feel the prayers of the saints covering us daily.

Jesus Himself found so much time to be alone with His Father. I am encouraged by verses that remind me that I NEED seasons where the only person I can turn to is Jesus. Far too often, especially as women, we want to vent or gossip (calling it prayer requests) the moment something happens. But our true source of life is Jesus Christ, and He is the only one that we really need to turn to. I believe He places spouses, parents, wise counsel, and friendships in our lives for a reason, and those are all great relationships that can spur us on, but if we are not seeking peace, joy, love, and more from the Lord we will feel isolated like we are wandering in a desert with no food or water. 

“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land without water.”

Psalm 63:1

So, all that to say, we are still thriving. Life can be challenging at times. Church planting isn’t always easy. But God is good, and we are learning so much and are full of so much gratitude. Thank you again for your love and support.

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Jess T.

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Prayer Requests

• That we will constantly continue to turn to Christ as our source of life

• That we would never be too busy or overwhelmed that we forget there is always a different perspective.

• That the Lord will sustain us when things feel overwhelmingly burdensome.

• That God would bring us friends who are strong believers and are ready to serve in this church planting process.