Good old fashioned pounding!

What a blessing our church family has been over the past few weeks.  Well, they've always been a blessing to us but they are really showing out now! ;)  A sweet friend asked a couple of months ago if she could host a pounding for our family as we prepare for the mission field.  I honestly had to ask what a pounding was.  I learned that it's an old tradition of "pounding" a new pastor and his family when they move to a new church.  The idea is to bring a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, etc.  You get the idea.  I was excited that she would want to send us to Africa with some of our supplies that we were trying to collect.  What a blessing.  I sent her a list of about 25 ladies that I thought might like to come.  Well, she called a couple of days later and told me that it was going to be a little bigger than first thought.  Our church wanted to be a part of it and what started as a few ladies in a home turned into a church-wide good old fashioned pounding!  What a blessing!  An overwhelming blessing!  We were showered with so much that we honestly didn't know if we could get it all home.  Not all of the items are going to be used by our family.  We will be sharing with other missionary families at ABC as well as the clinic, college, and academy!  Thank you Morrison Heights Baptist Church! 

The above picture is my favorite.  I have a picture just like this from 13 months ago at the college superbowl party at our church.  While Jeremy and Thad were grilling burgers-Jeremy was grilling Thad about missions.  The Lord was speaking to us and we just weren't sure what to do. Thad and Jan were there to pray with us through the process and lend an ear or give words of encouragement when needed.  God truly blessed us by putting them in our lives! Here we are one year later preparing to leave for Lilongwe, Africa. 

 To God be the Glory!!!