The Bush Family

On Sunday, May 17, a new chapter in our story began.  Pastor Scott Eynon announced to Community Christian Church that Vanessa and I are relocating with our two boys (Micah and Corban) to Albuquerque, New Mexico - where we are planting a church.  We desire not only plant one church, but to be a part of a church planting movement throughout all of New Mexico.  I will be the pastor and lead church planter of a new church in Albuquerque.  Our family will relocate in August and have our first Sunday morning worship sometime in February.

WHY NEW MEXICO?

Our church planting strategy for New Mexico will start in Albuquerque.  ABQ is the natural place to start:

• It is the biggest city in New Mexico
• It is an unchurched area with less then 7.5% attending a protestant church on a given Sunday.
• It is centrally located in the state
• It is the home of the University of New Mexico.  The UNM is the largest state  campus in the US with a majority  minority enrollment.
• It is the #1 “Creative Class” city among medium-sized cities (500 to 800 thousand).
• New Mexico boasts more PhD’s per capita than another state and the highest concentration of them is in Albuquerque.
• New Mexico also boasts the more artists per capita than any other state with the highest concentration of them in Santa Fe (a sister city to Albuquerque).
• Forbes rated Albuquerque as the best place for business and careers.

Albuquerque is a city that is becoming)a very influential city.  A church plant in the city will do much good for the kingdom locally in New Mexico, as she is the most influential city in the state, domestically in the US because ABQ is a very influential city in our country, and globally due to the rich cultural diversity present in the city.

WHO IS SUPPORTING US?

Christian Church Starters, a church-planting network in New Mexico, Nexus, a church-planting network out of Texas, and Stadia are supporting us.  We are still looking for other partner churches and individuals who would like to see the kingdom grow through this plant.   If you wish to contribute to our church plant online, we will provide the means to do so in the coming months.  In the mean time, you can send checks to Christian Church Starters, P. O. Box 1147, Edgewood, NM  87015 and write ABQ III in the note field.

Please pray for our church plant.  Please pray for open doors to share Good News about Jesus.  Please pray for our house to sell in Florida so we can be financially free to make ABQ our home.

A prophetic perspective, that is what we need.

It was a rainy night, but we still had fun.

It was another nice day of soccer.  Check out the pics and don’t miss the videos.

Watch Micah take off like Scooby Doo.  This is pretty funny.

It was the end of practice.  Micah was doing a good job of keeping the ball in front of him

Tonight we got tickets to the Panthers whoop the Islanders.  It was a great game except for the fact that Micah ate all of the popcorn.  Enjoy the pics and video of a good hockey in sunny South Florida.

Micah learns about the Zamboni.

After the second goal.

Seven years ago Nate asked me to grow old with him.  What a wild ride of marriage we have already been on.  With two little ones and a few gray hairs, it certainly seems as though much has changed in seven years.  I’m looking forward to what God has in store for us as we work to advance his kingdom here on earth.  I recently heard a statistic that says couples do not truly begin to love selflessly until 12 to 15 years into a marriage.  I pray God will give me the strength to put away my idols of self-worship and grant me the wisdom to respect, love, and serve my husband long before the twelve-year mark, for he has done so much for me.  He is my  provider, wise counsel, eager listener, reality check . . . my dearest friend.  May God grant us many more years of holding hands as we walk through life.

To my Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye woman, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the east doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor aught but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

-Anne Bradstreet, 1678

October 18 is also a family affair.  Brent and Holly (Nate’s sister) were engaged three years ago, and Gary and Lorrell (Nate’s parents) were married 31 years ago.  Happy anniversary!

The Song of Solomon has a great metaphor for keeping purity in your relationship with girlfriend, boyfriend, and your spouse.  The text reads, “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”  The picture portrays a spring time harvest of love that must be protected lest the foxes devour the harvest and destroy the love relationship.  For us (an old married couple) there are many little foxes: time, fatigue, lack of communication, and so on.  One way we fight the foxes that threaten us is reading the scripture together.  This morning we got up early, drank coffee, and read the bible.  We did not read the same thing, but we read together.  I have a keen awareness of my love for my wife when I see her drink the scriptures with her coffee.  I love speaking about the text with her even more.

Mars Hill Church in Seattle is doing a series on Song of Solomon currently.  Listening to the podcast today made me think of these things.

This cool game on their website.  It is called “whac-a-fox.”  The game is a solid and fun reminder that we all need to be hunting the little foxes that seek to destroy our harvest of love.

Have fun playing the game.

This video is a great illustration of our particular fight for time, communication, and fatigue:

Today we went to the Sawgrass Mills Mall for some early Christmas shopping.  That mall is always a stressful experience for us.  We find long walks in a quiet, wooded area a long way away from civilization relaxing. You know the kind of trail that could have you walking for days without seeing anyone–that’s what we like.  (Unfortunately, unless we want to venture into the swamp, South Florida possesses none of these types of trails.)  The experience at the mall is completely the opposite from what we find relaxing: crowded, noisy, and bustling.  Ironically the mall has a location called the Oasis.  We found a cool little pizza joint deserted there today.  We stopped in for some pizza and peace.  When our pizza came Micah offered to pray for us.

It was a big day for him.  It was his first official day of soccer practice.  When we bowed our heads Micah began to pray: “Dear God, please help me to have a good day at soccer, to listen to me coach and to do all that he says, and to be kind to everyone….”  This made our day.  Micah was making the connection between faith and action.  We have been teaching him biblical truths in the hope the he would live a biblical, (i.e Christ centered) life.  This little prayer over a pizza was a great victory for us as parents and we are cherishing it in our hearts.

And then we went to soccer practice…

On Saturday, October 11 we celebrated Micah’s birthday.  It was a great fun to get together with our family and friends.  The party was a knight theme complete with swords and shields for the knights and wands and tiaras for the princesses.  Micah’s birthday is not until October 22, so he is technically not 4 yet.  Don’t try telling him his not four 4 though.  He is already excited about turning 5.  After the party he said, “I can’t wait until I turn 5.”  Vanessa and I are just trying to cope with the reality that we even have a 4 year old.  I hope you enjoy the pics.  Thanks to Crystal Costello for taking over as photographer!         -Nate