Challenging Changes

I wrote the following email this morning to family and friends. Since I know I don't have everyone's email that I would like to send it to, I decided to post it here.Good morning all,

It is with a prayerful heart that I type out this email. Heidi & I are sending you this email because you have a special place in our heart. You've all been a part of our life's journey and we're so thankful for that.

Over the last couple of years God has taken us through some rugged terrain. He's had us on mountain tops and He's taken us through dark valleys. Through it all He has been faithful. Romans 8:28-29 have been rock verses for us through it all. (And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.) We're so thankful that we can trust God's promise to work ALL things in our lives to mold us into the "image of His Son". Heidi & I have surely felt that work in our lives. Our prayer is that you have been aware of that work also.

It is with much emotion that we are taking this next step in our lives. After years of prayers, counsel, and seeking the principles of the Word, Heidi & I feel that we must move in faith regarding our church membership. Tonight (2-16-11) Ron Messner will remove our membership from the Apostolic church. We are currently planning on becoming members of Bethany Community Church in Washington IL. We know this decision will be difficult to accept for some of you. We have been praying hard for our family and friends that the Spirit will work in you all to trust Him and His work in our lives. Our reasons for this move in our lives are not easy to summarize as they've been developed over a long period of time and involve many different circumstances, teachings, joys, hardships, and lessons. Our heart is not to pursue ease, comfort, or self, but rather to passionately pursue a deepening relationship with Christ through His Spirit and through His revealed and Holy Scriptures.

We know our decision will bring pain to some of you that receive this email. We pray that, as we've seen God do in the past, He will use our pain to draw us closer to His father heart and teach us how to be more like our Savior. Heidi & I have a heart for our relationship with each one of you who receive this letter. It's our sincere prayer that God would continue to knit us together in Love even if we disagree on some things.

Heidi & I are open to discussion and sharing where we're at with anyone who has a heart towards that. We are willing to communicate as much or as little as you are each comfortable with.

Again, we want each of you to know we love you and are thankful for how God has used you in our lives to grow, shape, encourage, and challenge us.

Love in Christ,
Luke & Heidi

P.S. I'm sorry for those of you who may have gotten this twice. And I know I didn't have everyone's email that I would've liked to have sent it to. Please feel free to share this with our mutual family & friends.