Prayer Update - 8/9/17

10...9...8...7...6...

The countdown is underway. We are 10 days away from putting Denver in our rearview mirror and setting our sights on Nampa, Idaho! I resolved today not to deceive myself into believing I can be master over every detail and every task. Instead, I will trustfully ride this wave of the Lord's movement in our lives. The days here are bleeding away quickly. For those of you "striving together with [us] in your prayers" (Rom. 15:30), here are a few specifics we are laying before the Father and watching for his perfect response:

1. Pray for new tenants for our town home in Denver. Because we must break our lease, we are responsible for rent until new folks are in place.

2. Pray for housing in Nampa. We are in a waiting pattern to hear about a house we hope to rent just a few blocks from the church.

3. Pray for smooth transitions for the kids into their new schools (first day is Aug. 23rd), and for new friends.

4. Pray for the Lord to lead in setting the tone for this new season at Calvary Church Nampa.

The Race Marked Out For Us - The Next Adventure In Faith

Calvary Church Nampa

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..."

There are many things that are hard to capture: a feisty, picky trout on a pressured Colorado mountain stream; the perfect thought in the perfect words; and perhaps most of all - time. Perhaps Solomon would say it's like trying to capture a handful of the breeze as it speeds on its way.

So, although time has eluded us in many ways, including narrating every step of the course we run, today we return to this medium (our blog) as a means of communicating what God is up to and drawing attention to Jesus - Lord, Messiah, Savior and King.

Why now? Because once again we find ourselves in a season of change.

Let me start with the punchline: The Snyder family is moving in August to Nampa, Idaho to lock arms with and serve alongside some humble, hungry saints as the pastor/shepherd for a church that is being replanted with the Calvary Family of Churches!

Now let me connect the dots to briefly trace how we got here.

We moved to Texas in 2011, fully convinced from our time overseas that we were going to live for what matters and what lasts. During that season, the Lord helped establish us as a family. The Snyder-Four became the Snyder-Six. We learned to serve in our local church, be a part of a community, connect with neighbors, and make efforts to be a light. For those who walked with us in that season, it was probably also clear that we experienced a crescendo, a growing spiritual stirring that often rose to fever pitch. We knew God had more in mind for us but we experienced much angst (and sometimes less sleep!) trying to figure out what niche in the kingdom specifically had our names on it. It seemed that among all the ideas we came up with, we could not get an answer from the Lord which to pursue. Indeed, it became evident that He was not going to give an answer at that time. Instead, we perceived the Lord's guidance for us was simply to "get ready." Rough translation: start seminary.

So I (Anders) began my first semester as an online student with Gateway Seminary in the fall of 2016. Then in December of 2016 we moved to Denver to continue studies at Gateway's Rocky Mountain Campus.

Why Denver? Divine storylines always have interesting twists. Our home church while in Denver prior to leaving for the mission field was Calvary Baptist Church of Englewood. The church was in decline and had the wind taken out of their sails with a couple of changes of pastors. However, God was not done with this church. Instead of closing the doors, which was a very real possibility, God stirred a new work in a mighty way and they began to grow. Beyond growing, they began to multiply; to be a church that planted churches so that Jesus would be made non-ignorable in Denver and to the ends of the earth. What's more, they made a priority of training leaders to plant and replant churches. Speaking of non-ignorable, it seemed too crazy to be coincidence that all of this was happening not just any-old-where, but at OUR old church! So along with seminary training, we came to get around what God was up to and learn from the newly-dubbed Calvary Family of Churches.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8,9-

This is the reminder we received from the Lord as we sought to understand whether He truly had in mind for us to help replant Nampa First Southern Baptist Church as a new work - Calvary Church Nampa. It seemed out of left field. It seemed further and faster than we had anticipated. However, we had become convinced that God's purpose for us was to preach the word and make disciples. We had become convinced that the church is God's primary vehicle for working out the purposes of His heart in the gospel. We prayed very specifically that God would make clear his will, not through emotion and circumstances, but through His word and His Holy Spirit. And He has done just that.

So, it is with great trepidation and trust that we are taking this next step of faith in the race he has marked out for us.

Are we there yet? No, but we want to run with perseverance, eyes fixed on Jesus.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 3:12-14-

Here's a brief video that tells the story of our old home church, now sending church, Calvary Englewood: https://vimeo.com/184690667

This video also showcases Calvary Englewood, but speaks more at length about the concept of revitalization/replanting: https://youtu.be/tTSRy3kJgKg

4 Year Old & 7 Month Old

On August 24th, our little man turned 4 years old! He is one of the most imaginative kids we know. He was beyond thrilled to receive many new dress up costumes for his birthday. He also got a new bike! We're just waiting for the temps to cool down before going on any serious bike rides. We love this kid! He is Mr. "Matter-Of-Fact"! There is no pulling the wool over his eyes, and he will tell it like it is. This can be frustrating at times for his older sister, but it shows to be a great quality as he is learning about God and the Bible. He demonstrates a sensitive heart to spiritual matters, and often exclaims at random, "I just really love God!"
How thankful we are to have Boden for a son!

Boden's 4th birthday. These two photos were taken by our friend Misty, she did an amazing job capturing these moments.

The new bike.

The Costumes!

And Miss Annika is already 7 months old. She seems delighted in the ability to sit up, and is already trying to rock forward onto her knees anxious to begin crawling. No signs of teeth yet, it must only be a matter of time until those pearly whites come in. She's begun solids, and seems to be our pickiest eater. She most enjoys sweet potatoes and bananas, and doesn't care much for rice cereal or carrots. Later this month we'll try applesauce!

6 Months

We have SO much to update on! But before we do, we must post Annika's 6 month pics before she turns 7 months! So, here is to our sweet baby girl at 6 months of age.

And for fun, here are a few summer-time baby pics too, (because she's just so cute!)