Our Sweet Friends, You are precious to our hearts and it is with so much joy that we are finally able to share how Jesus is leading our family.
We have spent all but two of the last fourteen years in Nevada County, fellowshipping with the precious body at Grace Bible Church, and enjoying life and school with our amazing community. We have raised our children in a beautiful area surrounded by wise, loving people who have invested in our lives, showered us with incredible kindness, and we have been cared for in the sweetest of ways.
Through these years we have understood better what it looks like to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called, and how that looks practically in our marriage, our parenting, our ministry, and in our obedience as Jesus leads us.
As He is leading us now.
Jesus has been working in our hearts and going before us in an amazing way. As he has perfectly orchestrating every minute detail, we are convinced that the Lord is leading us to the mission field, specifically as church planters in California.
As Jason has progressed through seminary, Jesus has given him the desire to shepherd God’s people in a local congregation. By way of various challenges and opportunities, God has perfectly orchestrated the timing and details to allow us to be trained as church-planting missionaries to the gospel-starved corners of California.
The kids have already found a fun park full of castles and slides, which gives them something exciting to look forward to in this move to Benicia.
Over the past several months we have been going through the process of being vetted by the North American Mission Board, which has an amazing training and facilitating program to support those going into church planting.
Through a specific internship at a church who has a heart church planting, Jason will be given hands-on training while he completes his Masters of Divinity at The Cornerstone Seminary. While he is being groomed as a lead pastor for a new church plant in the Napa Valley, the program will also cover the housing and financial needs of our family.
One of the most beautiful aspects to this opportunity is that the president of Cornerstone Seminary, Dr. Ryan Rippee, is a church planter in Benicia, Ca, and his congregation is eager to partner with NAMB in equipping Jason for this task. Jason’s ever-deepening friendship and respect for Dr. Rippee made the decision to pursue this training a sweet one to consider.
We had expected this process to take about two years, but Jesus, in His perfect timing and design, has expedited our adventure. As we continue to go through the process of joining NAMB as missionaries, last week Jason accepted the opportunity to start his training with Dr. Rippee, starting November 1. The elder board at Grace has been incredibly supportive, and is sending us with their blessing. Additionally, the Benician church has been abundantly generous and is already preparing for our family to join them, and we are busy ordering our household accordingly.
As Jason starts in Benicia, the children and I (Christin) will most likely be commuting back and forth to finish the school year. This will allow for an extended transition and, hopefully, more brian cells and less stress as I purge and pack! And yes, I would absolutely love your boxes, your brawn, and your sweet company as I take on this mountainous task!
In addition, we are so grateful for your continued prayers.
Stepping into the world of missions looks very similar to the life we live now, save for the fact that our opportunities to share Jesus with others will be hyper-focused in a specific area, and that the challenges and spiritual warfare we are/will experience are heightened. Which means we must have prayer warriors coming before the Lord on our behalf.
It has always been sweet to know that many of our dear friends pray for us regularly, and Jesus has used that in beautiful ways to show us how He is working His will in our lives. Now, however, we are more acutely aware of how vital it is to have God’s people partnering with us in this mission to bring the gospel to starving communities who desperately need Him.
Jason practicing with the Benician church band
We have a few specific ways that we would appreciate you joining us in prayer:
Housing: As we seek out a home in the Benicia area, we need a place our children can grow, where we can offer hospitality, where I can teach music, with a space to serve as an office for Jason, and that fits within our housing budget. The children’s desire is to keep our pet bunny, and that our new home will have carpeted stairs, so we have been praying for those details as well.
Financial: Once we officially join NAMB we will be able to invite others to join us financially. We are excited to see how Jesus will provide through His people, yet the discomfort in asking for support makes it a daunting task.
Future: Jesus is already teaching our hearts to love the community he settles us into, and we are praying that the future church plant will reach many with the gospel.
Family: Kaden, Thea, and Auna are doing well with the transition, though they are torn (as are we!) between the excitement of following Jesus and the sadness of leaving precious friends behind. We continue to pray that we will know and desire God more through this, and that He will be glorified even in our grief.
Please join us in worship through thanks, as God has perfectly provided for many of our needs:
God is leading us so clearly that there is absolutely no question that this move is His will.
Many sweet people have given generously, which has allowed our old and tired vehicles to be repaired, keeping us safe in the extra transportation this adventure has called for.
Temporary housing has been made available for us until we find a home.
Our family is hugely supportive, which makes this transition so much easier.
Perhaps even in setting an alarm on your phone to remind you of our family? We would also love to keep you posted via text and/or email. If you would like to receive periodic updates, please let us know.
Thank you for being our friends. We are so very grateful for the many ways you have invested in our lives, and for the ways you have pointed us to Jesus. We look forward to continuing to work with you in furthering the Kingdom of heaven through this new adventure.
With SO much love,
Christin, for the Hunt Family
THIS UPDATE WAS ORIGINALLY SHARED HERE (WITH PHOTOS).
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