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| A new memory, during the Christmas tree lighting @ Fort Stewart! |
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| Taking a moment to enjoy a photo with one another before the tree lighting. |
Greetings and Happy New Year!
During this part of the year our locations take intentional
time off for our teens to rest, relax and enjoy time with their families and
friends before going back to school and rushing into another semester. The same
goes for our leadership team as well as Amy and I, which influences us more
than ever to slow down. The best part about this is how we started new
traditions and how we saw God’s hand all over the 2015 vision and plan for
reaching teens.
As most of you know, Amy and I traveled a ton in the first 5
months of our marriage, which made us desire to stick around Georgia and make
the most of being home for our 1st Christmas and New Year together. Although
missing family traditions and loved ones back in the Midwest, God blessed our
time and provided moments which were wonderful for us. If it weren’t enough in
starting new traditions with one another, we also were blessed with our first
home in Hinesville which God totally blasted doors open for us to purchase over
the break. Therefore, we also enjoyed setting up our own beautiful Christmas
tree in our home and enjoyed an amazing Christmas dinner together that evening.
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| Amy caught a moment as I laid this wreath on his tree during the ceremony. |
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| Taking a moment to breathe it all in during the Warriors Walk ceremony. |
Another blessing about staying in our area was being part of
annual events happening around Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. Each year
at Fort Stewart, soldiers lost in the ongoing battle overseas are honored at
the Warriors Walk by the ‘laying of the Christmas wreaths’ in an amazing
fashion. Warriors Walk is an amazing and sobering memorial lining the parade
field where our soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division deploy and
come back home from battle. Each tree represents a life given in battle in the
Iraq and Afghan wars. To say that it was humbling and breathtaking doesn’t come
close to the emotions which hit me in this event. We not only went to witness
this annual event but we also chose to lay four wreaths upon trees since these
soldiers’ families weren’t able to do it for them.
Being that we took the time to slow down and rest over the
holiday season, it was apparent that God was calling us into a new season.
Leadership was starting to change over the past few months and recent weeks due
to moves and job changes. Our photo magnet we sent out for Christmas to many of
you shared the need of praying for additional help as God has brought the
harvest and continues to do so. We are
thankful to share your prayers already have brought new people into the fray
for leadership to fill the gaps left from others moving!
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| Us together as we took the keys to our home in Hinesville! |
Finally, a resonating feeling as of late in healthy
discussion with other ministry leaders and friends plus inward soul searching
and discernment led me to see God is bringing us into 2015 doing ministry
‘simple and effective.’ I have had some fruitful conversations with our
military leadership to include the Garrison Chaplain who all believe this is
and can be an impactful year in this direction. We’re finding out in our time
of rest that our students don’t need all the ‘bells and whistles’ of attraction
to get them to hang out; all they really want is our undivided attention and a
person who cares for them and speaks into their life. Please continue to pray for us in this new season since it will include
bringing more intentional plans on our time with our students and how we do
ministry effectively at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.
The Harvest is upon us. Let us execute well as God anoints
His plans!
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| Amy and I enjoying a new tradition with our Christmas tree decorating in our home. |
~Phil & Amy Parsons
