Friends for Life!!!

Go with me back in time......
It's August 2005. Steven and I are newlyweds, adjusting to being a blended family and less than a month into our first ministry together. Steven comes home from the church one day and begins to tell me about a family he met that day. Our church had a want-ad for a nursery position and a couple came by the church to inquire about the position. This couple had just moved to the Army base that was about an hour a way from our church. I couldn't believe what Steven told me that day. This couple was newly married. The wife had 2 kids from a previous marriage and their daughter and son were the EXACT ages of our daughter and son.
After that meeting, despite the distance, this family became one of the most committed members of our church.
Sean, Dee Dee, Kiara and Jacob are some of our dearest friends. Sean, who was a Chaplain Asst. in the US Army, is a gifted singer and musician and he eventually became the worship leader at our church. (Dee Dee is a gifted singer as well!) We always knew their time at our church was limited because of the Army and Sean's plans to eventually go to seminary so he could move on to the Chaplain program. This past October it became official. Sean was discharged from the Army so he could attend seminary and God opened a door for him to be the Youth and Music Pastor at a church in their home state.
Here's some pictures from a going away luncheon~
Dougie and Jacob Emma and KiaraWhen Sean was released from the Army, he was commissioned as an officer into the Chaplain Program the next day. It was a very informal event but monumental in Sean and Dee Dee's life so we were honored when they asked us to attend. I couldn't understand why he would be discharged one day and commissioned the next but it was such a rare occurrence that the Colonel pictured below had never been a part of an event like this in his 30 years in the Army. Pretty cool, huh?!
The Colonel sharing some words of wisdom with Sean~

The Colonel, Capt. S. and Sean. Sean being congratulated by his fellow comrades. Sean and Steven I can't tell you how much I love this couple!!!!Even though I miss them, I'm so excited that God has started this new chapter in their lives. One thing I learned from Pastor Johnny is that when people follow God's call into ministry and leave your church, you're not "losing" them but sending them out. If we're losing them, then it's about us but if we're sending them, then it's about HIM.

Sean, Dee Dee, Kiara and Jacob, we love y'all sooooo much!