Hello from North Carolina! We’ve been here three weeks now, and while we have definitely had periods of rest and quiet in that time, there has also been plenty to keep us busy. It’s really the perfect mixture so far. I posted the above pictures taken last Sunday after church, because they sort of reflects the time here so far: a comfortable space (photo credit to Kayla), a quiet lunch for two, a meal that required several trips to several grocery stores (we are still figuring out where to shop!); time to rest, time to read, time to plan and cook a traditional Sunday lunch, but lots to sit and talk about. Kayla and a friend showed up just as we finished that meal, so the stillness turned into coffee, dessert, and planning the week ahead.

I think we’re still in the process of switching gears – from ceaseless activity to having time on our hands, from every moment being dictated by events and responsibilities to the freedom of having nothing on the agenda for the day. It’s sort of an easy transition to make, but somehow challenging at the same time.

Speaking of switching gears, a LOT of activity led up to our moment of departure, the last of which was Cody and Danielle’s wedding. After years of attending weddings, we’ve finally reached the era of our kids’ and their friends’ weddings, and it’s a whole different kind of special. Watching your own children and the children of your best friends get married – kids you’ve known since they were in diapers, kids you helped homeschool, kids you cheered for at soccer, baseball, basketball games and track meets, kids you prayed for – is an experience and celebration like no other.

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Watching one of my dearest friends dance with her son – a son we prayed and rejoiced and wept over at different times of his life, and a son who is also one of my own son’s best friends – had me unable to contain the tears. Just look at them…

We left Massachusetts the morning after the wedding and stopped in Virginia, because Michelle reached out to us a couple of weeks before our trip to see if she and her family could host us overnight on our way to North Carolina. Michelle and Jonah met at our church way back in the day, and it was a true encouragement to spend time with them, catch up on each others’ lives, and meet their growing kids.

We really had no idea just how close to Southeastern Seminary we would be living until we arrived. The not-so-good picture of train tracks below is meant to show you our proximity. We live in the white brick building on the right with what looks like (and really is, I suppose) a fire escape. The steeple on the left is the seminary chapel. I use that fire escape to leave for class every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning, and it takes me about three minutes to walk to one class and about five minutes to walk to the other one.

And yes, the train goes by on a daily basis, or maybe I should say a nightly basis.

Midnight, Monday through Friday.

It’s true.

Would you believe we’ve actually slept through it a couple of times?

We were especially encouraged by the day of seminary orientation we attended. Different sessions with wonderful speakers on varying topics and visions for the school – all of them excellent. One of the panel discussions was regarding the Kingdom Diversity office and its vision. I have never heard racial reconciliation spoken about with such grace and truth – never. This was a breath of fresh air – free of political agenda, shame, and bias, while full of biblical truth and a sincere desire to reflect Revelation 7:9-10 as much as possible in the here and now. I think I might mention my being prone to tears quite a bit here on the blog, but that’s just what happens to me when I experience deep joy or sadness. The Kingdom Diversity panel had me barely holding back the sobs.

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And speaking of diversity, our chapel speakers have represented varying ethnicities, denominations, and style. Just, wow. Robert meets me at 10:30am every Tuesday and Thursday for chapel services, and we wouldn’t miss them for the world, because they have all been so worshipful. Students (grads and undergrads) are not required to go to chapel here, but the services are full of young students every time.

(Young is definitely a theme here, of course. I’m still cringing a bit over being the oldest – by FAR – in both of my classes. And I know I am older than at least one professor. Both professors still have all their kids at home. Sometimes it seems like they don’t know what to do with me. Ugh. Kind of a weird dynamic that I suppose I should have fully expected. It’s not terrible, though, and several of the students have been super sweet to me.)

Here’s who our chapel speakers have been so far: David Platt, Thabiti Anyabwile, Jason Cook, and Ligon Duncan. If you can find 30 minutes to be heartily encouraged, I would highly recommend Thabiti Anyabwile’s chapel sermon on Speaking Up For The Vulnerable from Proverbs 31:1-9. Seriously powerful stuff.

After Pastor Anyabwile spoke, we started walking home, but decided we should go back and try to meet him. Several months ago, a friend of ours was looking for recommendations for a black, Christian, female, counselor…in Western Massachusetts. Christian counselors hardly exist in the state of Massachusetts at all (or so it seems), so this was definitely a stretch. When we were unable to find one, she emailed an organization that had been listed on our women’s retreat registration site.

With great joy over answered prayer, she forwarded me the email she received in return which listed several resources for counselors in our area that fit the description. I was impressed with the length and detail of the response she got, and even more astounded when I saw who the email was from: Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile himself. We had to go back in and thank him for taking the time to help our friend from church. He remembered her email well, and was grateful he was able to help.

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One of the greatest joys of being here is that my mentor from my college days is also here working on her PhD. Cas (with me on the left) was one of my Bible study leaders during those days, and God used her to instill a great love for His Word in my heart. We studied the book of Romans together. She had us read it 50 times and memorize two verses from each chapter. I am forever changed by that time we spent together. Now, I’m getting to meet with her in the campus center for coffee every Thursday just like old times, and it’s been such an encouragement.

Kayla came to visit last week! Her first stop was to NC State in Raleigh to spend the weekend with two friends who were on the European Hands On team with her last semester. Then she came to Wake Forest to see us and to have an official visit to The College at Southeastern. (An undergrad program on the same campus as the seminary) Caleb, another teammate from her semester abroad, is an undergrad student here and helped give us all a tour. She’s definitely leaning toward attending here in the fall, so maybe we’ll be back moving her into the dorms in August!

I’ve already told you that all we packed for this time away was clothes and books. Four of those books are cookbooks, and they are all written by my favorite cookbook author, Danielle Walker. Before we left MA, Danielle posted in her Instagram stories the need for volunteers at a few stops on her new book tour. Raleigh, NC (only a few miles from here) just happened to be one of the locations, so I signed up and got a spot on the team.

We worked from 2pm until 7pm setting up, scanning guests’ tickets, seating them, and answering their questions. After that we got to participate in the programming for the evening which included delicious food samples from the new book, a cooking demonstration, Danielle’s dramatic health story, and a bag of product samples to take home. I enjoyed every minute!

I’ve also enjoyed cooking for Robert and myself using old and new recipes from her books. So far, the paleo banana bread is our favorite.

Two summers ago I led a small group Bible study at our church using the workbook Seamless. It’s written by Angie Smith, who happens to be one of Danielle’s best friends. I was scanning tickets when she came through the door, and got to tell her that several of the girls in my group described her study as life-changing. She was embarrassed, but also thankful, and she happily agreed to a photo.

For Christmas, I gave Robert race entry to Southeastern’s first ever 5K. Some might think that is really no gift at all (You mean my gift is that I have to run three miles?), but he seemed to enjoy himself today, and he got a free t-shirt, coffee, and bananas out of the deal, too. We’re both just thankful that his knee is healed enough to run 3+ miles.

I also gave him tickets to a John Mark McMillan concert happening in the seminary chapel in March, so maybe that will make up for his having to exert himself today?

For those who have asked how (and what) Robert is doing – besides enjoying my Christmas gifts, of course. He’s doing well! He brought at least 50 books with him – books he has been wanting to read, but unable to get to. Books on theology, culture, history, biographies, and commentaries. He’s even ordered a couple of books since we’ve been here, and he’s made it through about five books so far, which is not bad for only having been here three weeks.

He’s also connected with a new, young pastor over lunch and met briefly with the professor who oversees the pastoral ministry department. We’ve also visited two very different churches the last two Sundays and will add a third – an intentionally multi-ethnic church plant to the list this Sunday. (My friend Cas and her husband are on the core planting team there.) We RSVP’d to stay and have lunch at their Agape Feast after the service.

Ok, if you’ve made it this far, I’d say you’re all caught up on our sabbatical so far. (Well, except for a full report on all the cool coffee shops we’ve tried out and a couple of hikes/nature walks we’ve been on.) Many of you reading this made great sacrifices for us to be here, and we are so grateful for all you’ve done (and will do) to make this time away possible. One thing we’ve been doing is praying together every night, and we pray for our church family when we do. When we return to MA, we’ll celebrate 20 years of being a church – and you are a church that we love and miss dearly.

Until next time, and GO PATRIOTS!