The Body of Christ

       I'm writing today out of a full heart. God has been regularly filling our days with blessings here in Pella.  Our church family has been tremendously welcoming throughout our first couple months here, and lately we have been developing some new friendships.  This was one of the hardest transitions for me because since college I have always lived near friends that I was familiar and comfortable with; girls that knew my strengths and my weaknesses. Moving to Pella was like starting from square one with friendships.  It has been challenging to be patient in this area, and it has caused me to lean heavily on God and our marriage.  Well, those long-awaited friendships have started to blossom, with coworkers and people at church.  I would like to tell you about a few of them.
       Jennifer VerMeer is the nurse who trained me earlier this summer. She is a young mother of two children, her second child was just born a week ago.  She is a great nurse. She is outgoing. She is a great storyteller and a loving mother.  We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each other at work, and I'm looking forward to spending some time with her and her kids while she is on maternity leave.
       Ryan De Vries was one of the very first people to welcome us to Covenant URC.  And he continues to warmly welcome us each Sunday.... morning and evening :)  Ryan is a middle-aged gentleman that lives in a group home in Pella. We've had the privilege of getting to know Ryan both inside and outside of church, and he has given both Dan and I a fresh perspective on life.  I've never seen somebody so excited about a simple game of 2-on-1 basketball (Ryan and me against Dan) as he is, and I have rarely heard anybody talk about heaven as candidly as Ryan does.
       Last is Erin Meinders.  This sweet woman is a home-schooling mother of 5 (4 boys and one little girl at the end). She has a warm smile and is quick to offer an encouraging word.  I have already learned a lot from her about what it looks like to be a God-fearing wife and mother who is gentle yet does not waver in trusting the Lord.
       I'm so very thankful for the people at Covenant URC who have made me feel as though I'm a true member of the body of Christ at this church, and not just a number or a person taking up space in the pew.  Now that Dan and I are officially members, we can't wait to see what God has in store for us at Covenant.  It is our prayer that we can meet some of the needs of our fellow members, and that God will also provide for us through them.
       We enjoyed being a part of a softball league this summer.  Our record wasn't anything to brag about, but we had a lot of fun playing and getting to know our teammates. Here is a picture of our team at our tournament last Saturday.