A New Chapter....

Most of you know already, but there will be a new chapter in the life of the Owen family. On Feb. 21st, we will pull out of the gorgeous state of Colorado and head back to Alabama the Beautiful. We felt God calling us out to Colorado for a mission and we now feel that mission is complete. It has been a wonderful, personally challenging journey and I am a better person for it. God has taught me so much over the past 3 yrs, 4 months and as hard as it may have been on me at times, I am grateful for the exerience.

Vallecito Church had many needs when we first arrived. They needed to heal from a tough experience with their last pastor. They needed unity and forgiveness from one another to move forward. They needed leadership established within the church body. And they needed personal growth towards a Savior that loves them unconditionally. God has used Mike to help them meet their needs. The people of Vallecito Church have embraced God's Word, Mike's teachings based on God's Word, and one another. I have never seen a more unified church.

We have been treated with the utmost care and respect by the Vallecito Church family. They have honored their pastor, treated us like family, and loved our kids. While it is very hard for them to understand why we feel it is time to leave, God will bless their faithfulness, their love for Him, and will send a new Shepherd that will lead the church to a new level. Please pray for Vallecito Church as they wait for God's next plan, that this will increase their faith in God as they depend on Him through this process.

Our new chapter will begin in Sylcauga, Alabama, at a church called Sycamore Baptist Church. They contacted Mike back in October so this has been a process that we have prayed over for 3 months. Many people think we are "in a hurry" to leave but interviewing/meeting with another church is not something that you can discuss with people. What they don't realize is that this has been covered in prayer and God's direction for a while. I wish I could share the whole story with you on how this all happened, but for the sake of others, I will refrain. What God did to show us that this plan was from Him was pretty amazing and we must trust that. I feel very blessed to be moving to the same town that my brother Robby and his family live. My kids have never lived near cousins; I'm sure that will be an adjustment for both us and them, but I can't wait!

How do the kids feel? Landon and Haven are thrilled! Mason, on the other hand, is struggling. He's not scared of not fitting in, or starting a new school, or not having friends (his cousins will help with that)....he just doesn't want to leave his friends here. He is very popular and the whole community is aware of his athletic skills. We've even had random people that we don't even know offer him a bedroom to live in until he graduates; they're seeing the hopes of state championships fading with Mason moving. Mason will be moving to a much larger school and will probably have to fight for positions that were easily given to him here. But that's OK...that is what is going to make him a better athlete. He also has a girlfriend that he will be leaving behind which makes it harder. Please pray for him over the next 2 weeks because "goodbyes" are so hard!

I began this blog to tell our story of leaving the comforts of Alabama and heading to our "Samaria". Will I continue it? I'm not sure at this point. I do enjoy having our lives chronicled so that I can look back and reflect. But we are heading back to "Judea" to serve and help rebuild another one of Christ's flocks. And many of you who still read this will again be a regular part of lives. So maybe so, maybe not......just stay tuned and we'll all see!