I am heading to bed tonight with a heart full of gratitude. We just had our final meeting of Center City Church for 2009. Such a great way to end a phenomenal year. Hanging out. Laughing. Talking. Eating. Diving into God's Word. Being challenged and encouraged. Praying together. Amazing night together as a family. I am so incredibly grateful for all that God has done and all that he is about to do. These are exciting times. I am so blessed to be a part of this group. It's an absolutely unforgettable season of life.

I don't even know how to process today. It's 1:30am and we are just now heading to bed after an absolutely unforgettable day. I woke up this morning to a very encouraging email about the potential venue we have been looking at for Center City Church. It looks like God has opened an amazing door right in our neighborhood (about a half mile from our home). More to come on this as it solidifies. Later in the day, we found out that Max has been accepted into one of the best - and most sought after - public schools in all of Charlotte. There was a waiting list of over 100 families to get into...

I have spent this week praying and preparing for what is to come in 2010 for Center City Church. This has been such an energizing and exciting process. For the last four months, we have been meeting in our homes and simply focusing on building relationships and communicating the heart behind Center City. We have taken our time and enjoyed the moments spent eating, praying, hanging out together. We've also experienced the joy of being encouraged and challenged by the teaching of the Gospel. My heart is full of expectation and anticipation as we look to 2010. This week has been an exciting...

I just prayed two nights ago that God would provide for every one of our needs. I specifically prayed that he would send people to partner with us financially in a way that would make our jaw drop. Fund raising is a necessary part of church planting. We still raise our entire salary each month, as well as the expenses of running Center City Church. My prayer - and I wrote it down - was that God would send us shocking support. I went to the mailbox yesterday and my jaw dropped. A two thousand dollar check was sitting in there from a church in New Jersey. Shocking. God knows every one of our...

God is doing so many amazing things in Charlotte. There are churches and expressions of faith all over town that are so inspiring as they preach and teach the message of Christ. Elevation Church is one of the most creative, fastest growing churches in the country. They are 10 minutes from us. Mosaic Church is reaching the twentysomething demographic in North Charlotte in relevant and engaging ways. The Branch Church is one of the most genuine, loving family of believers that I have ever seen. CharlotteONE is an inter-denominational gathering of 600+ young professionals every Tuesday in...

I am helping three of the closest people in my world move today. Best part? They are moving just down the street from us in Uptown Charlotte. Jerred and Randi Peacock just moved here from Orlando to be a part of Center City. My little brother, Brandon, is renting the basement of their three story town home and we'll all be within walking distance to each other!When we first came to Charlotte, our prayer was that Dara and I would be able to surround ourselves with friends and family that we love and trust. This is happening right before our eyes. John and Ginny Gum live a couple of blocks...

The sounds of ambulance sirens in the night are reminders of a beautiful new reality: we live in the city. The life and energy that are in Uptown Charlotte are absolutely incredible. Our neighborhood (referred to as the Elizabeth community) is a beautiful section of Uptown with fully mature trees lining the streets, bungalow style homes, neighborhood cafes, unique stores and an immaculate city park (Independence Park) all within walking distance of our new home. I feel so comfortable here. I feel at peace. I feel alive. It's been an amazing first couple of days living in the neighborhood...

I recently asked our group to give one word descriptors of Center City Church. I wanted to hear how they would describe our group to other people. I was blown away by one word that kept on coming up from multiple people: SAFE. I love this. I have always longed to be in a community of friends that feel comfortable being themselves. Masks are off. Facades are left at the door. Center City has become a safe place for people to explore their faith, learn, grow and have fun along the way. I am so grateful for our group and all that God has done in our lives. I am so grateful that we have found a...

I'm experiencing a really interesting mix of emotions right now. This is our last night in our beautiful home in Concord (about 20 miles north of Uptown Charlotte). All of our stuff is moved into our new place in the heart of the city and we are spending one last night in this amazing home God provided for us. A bit of back story...After moving to Charlotte, a family heard of our story and was compelled to give us a beautiful six bedroom, 5 bathroom, 4,200 square foot home in an incredibly beautiful neighborhood for 40% of the going rate of the rental market value. Amazing. We are now moving...

The past several months have brought much of the same challenges and victories, financially, for our family as we have become accustomed to in our church planting journey. We are in the process of finding new and creative ways to engage in fundraising. I am so grateful for relationships that God has brought into my life to encourage me and teach me new ways to provide funding for our family and ministry. The past couple of months have been an absolute miracle as God has provided for us. We start off each month with no money in our fund raising account, and God has provided every single month...