It's been almost two weeks now since we made the big move and we are absolutely loving Spokane! There are adjustments for sure, like the sirens in the middle of the night and the fact that we no longer have countless family members in the immediate area, but on the whole we are feeling right at home here in the city. Practical things like watering the lawn, going grocery shopping, and running in the neighborhood are making this feel more and more like home.
In the book of Deuteronomy we hear the words, "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse..." Well, that's a great summary of where we live! We love the neighborhood and are getting to know a few people, plus we live just three blocks from the Northtown Mall. The girls practically screamed out loud in excitement when they realized how close we are to "civilization." And that would be the curse part of this blessing! We are three blocks from my greatest weakness: Starbucks coffee. We are four blocks from one of my favorite steak restaurants: Outback Steakhouse. We are about six blocks from Guitar Center, where I just bought a new acoustic guitar amp last Friday. We are close to EVERYTHING and I'm not sure my wallet can take it! Ha!
On the music end of things, the two CDs we were working so hard to get done are finished and are both available on iTunes. We'll get the links and guitar charts up ASAP on this blog so the resources are easily available and useable. If anyone is at all interested in purchasing the CDs, we actually get the best return from the ones purchased on CD Baby - about 10 cents more per song comes directly to us when they are purchased that way - but we're happy however the songs get used!
Last but not least, since we haven't started regular meetings yet for our Grace Church Spokane team, I was free to speak at Prairie Avenue Christian Center in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on Sunday. PACC is a fellow bunch of our Newfrontiers family so it was great to be with them! I spoke on what has been the key verse for us as we've been preparing to launch Grace Church Spokane: 1 Samuel 22:2. Here we find David on the run from Saul, living in a cave, and becoming captain over the distressed, the indebted, and the discontent. 400 men gather to him in this place of his own struggle! It's amazing what God can do and does do in the oddest of situations. When our focus is Him, He has a way of bringing great joy and fulfillment even in the midst of difficult times. We know that God has called us to be a gathering place where those in difficult times can find life, hope, and grace that changes them from those "on the run" to those who change nations! We fully expect and anticipate being a church that takes strong root in Spokane and also sends out many men and women to serve in other cities and nations around the world!
For The Kingdom,
Jon
