A Lot to be Thanksgiving For

Very little makes us feel more American than celebrating Thanksgiving overseas. You have to special order a turkey, ignore your desire for pecan pie, pick up the marshmallows (for the candied-yams) from a specialty shop and disturb the commute of innocent bystanders with the delicious, but mysterious aromas of publically transported baked-goods. In other words, you gotta really want it. And, boy, do we ever - especially this year!

We say "especially this year" not because we're due for a reminder of our cultural roots, though we are. We say it because we do indeed have so much for which to be thankful. The first and greatest value of holidays is, of course, the feasting/fun/family trio. The second is the readily provided metaphorical backdrops that facilitate observations considered too sentimental for blog-posts at any other time of year. With that in mind, let's talk turkey.

First, we're super-grateful that the English-speaking life group we lead continues to grow! Our weekly email now goes out to double the number of attendees we started with and the average number of weekly attendees has steadily increased. And, the group gets more diverse every week! This week we had people from Ghana, Ethiopia, India, Lithuania, Namibia, Singapore and Uganda. When you add us 'Mericans to the mix you get a fascinating blend of cultural takes and perspectives. The result is conversations that force all involved to look for the "real principles" involved in any given Biblical text. In the face of so many different experiences, no one can take for granted that their version of Christianity is free from "the traditions of men," even if they are well-meaning ones. So, everyone leans in. Everyone listens. Everyone learns.

We just wrapped a 5-week series on "How to Study God's Word for All It's Worth," and the momentum is strong. During the sessions Ashley gave the group "tools" they can use to go deeper in their own Bible reading and to be clearer when they share from those learnings. Next week, the group members will begin presenting from their own studies in the synoptic Gospels and Acts. The whole experiment has proven to be a great way to increase interest, develop leaders and encourage the confidence needed to effectively share the light with friends and acquaintances.

We're also profoundly grateful for what God is doing in the church (NewLife Frankfurt) on the whole. Last week, the Oberursel Campus had more than 100 people at its Sunday service. That's a huge milestone for any newly planted congregations, but it's especially remarkable in Western Europe. The Frankfurt Central Campus enjoys new visitors every week, now - many of whom decide to make it their home church. We're confident that campus will soon break the same barrier. Brian and Janine (our senior leaders) are phenomenal. They focus on relationships, prayer and truth and that simple combo really works. As we pick up more responsibilities at NewLife, we realize all the more what an honor to watch them, along with the other pastors, work. They are, in short, the real deal.

And, of course, we're grateful for our amazing family and friends. Our kids are crushing it, our in laws are amazing and the Body of Christ is on the move. You guys are super-generous and we can really feel your prayers at work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You give us more than enough reasons to be sappy in next month's update as well... but we'll probably blame it on Christmas anyway.

PS - If you think of us, please pray for a good childcare solution for the upcoming months. Ashley hopes to start language lessons the last week of November and Caleb is booked with contract work through December and into January. We need a safe, fun place for Ember (our 2-year-old) to learn while we're busy with those tasks. Like most big cities, those spots fill up (essentially) before conception. So, we need some favor for either "in-house house" or an opening at a nearby school.