Update Time!

Hello friends and family!

It is on a rainy Wednesday, while I am at home with a sick child, that I come to you with this update. I haven't been writing as often lately, as life has been a little busier than I'd hoped.  

Last week I had strep throat, then one child had gastroenteritis, causing me to use up all my paid time off. So today, I'm taking one for the team, so that our little one can get the care he needs. My family's needs come before my work's demands! Speaking of which, back in September I was hired as a full time permanent substitute teacher for the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD), which is the district in which Matt is also employed. I work in special education, K-12. My experience with special education was not extensive prior to this job, so this has very much so been a learning experience. It's a great job, and I am thankful that (if I can't be homeschooling my own children right now) I can at least be on the same schedule as them! The kids love their school, and are doing very well, continuing to make us proud parents. 

In October, it was decided by our pastor that Arise Church would merge with our friends at LifePath Church. Arise was no longer bearing the fruit of a thriving church community, and the best option was to stop our church services as we knew them. Although the small community of believers serves & loves well and has grown in relationship to one another and to God, there are better ways to steward the gifts God has given us. One example being the high cost of renting our meeting space (Apache Elementary). 

As of November 3, Arise Church has merged with LifePath Church, which is also in Peoria, AZ. This is the church that Arise met up with a few times over the summer, and has developed a growing relationship with. Pastor Joe will now serve as the executive pastor, and most (if not all) of our congregation will begin to gather and serve there. Of course, our family was in Michigan over the summer, and we were all too sick to leave home last Sunday, so we personally have not begun a relationship with LifePath's pastor or congregation. We will also begin to attend, but are praying for direction on what God really wants us to be doing in this season. Of course we have been presented with several opportunities/ministries to serve in, but ultimately they don't align with where we are at on our journey of exploring how we can best and creatively serve God and his people as church leaders and further form the foundational functions of how our family thrives. 

I've been reminded that it is so easy to passively go through life doing what others expect, striving to fit in with cultural norms, aiming (often selfishly) for a bigger & better future (house, job, status), without ever challenging the status quo or questioning if there is something more, something different that God wants you to do. I believe God is calling us to something different. And what it boils down to is being in-sync--every minute of every day--with the Holy Spirit. I need WAY more reminder and surrender in this area. My motives are [usually!] good, but my discipline not always, if I'm being totally honest. And you know what? It's OK to aim for a better future, and in fact, we should! But I'd rather live a full life doing it HIS way than spend any moment doing it my way. That's why I believe it is important to look at the motives of the heart and allow God to show you the areas that you and I have selfish desires, and ask him to give us new eyes to see things in the way He does. Allow his WORD to be the guide. It gives us new perspective, new hope, and new vision. And the step-by-step, day-to-day might look a little different than how we'd naturally think, so we need to rely on him in EVERYthing, good/bad, easy/hard. Our family is working through some things that we've asked God to help us with, and it has been a really tough/long season as anyone who's talked to us knows... but we are pushing through, and seeking God in it. And I would encourage you to do the same, whatever "season" you're in. Don't just do things because that's what others are doing. Seek first the kingdom of God. 

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9

Thank you to those who supported us in our venture to plant Arise Church! We are forever grateful for your encouragement, financial support, and prayers. There are many good things that happened because of Arise, praise God, and there are many more good things that we anticipate, because that's just the kind of God we serve! 

Thanks for reading. I am praying that each reader is renewed and led by the Spirit of God into greater, Kingdom things!  

Peace and love,

Tori & Matt Walker