As many of you know, the kids and I were blessed to be given money to fly to Alabama for a pre-Christmas visit. Such an exciting gift, 4 months after moving!! As I packed and prepared, I talked to God about how I usually strike up a conversation with the person seated next to me on flights and enjoy how He uses those conversations, but knew the kids and I would fill our row this trip. I asked him to keep my eyes open for a unique opportunity and not let me miss it, in spite of my responsibility with two young travel companions. As we waited for the last boarding zone to be called in Denver, a middle aged lady approached and got in line behind us and asked me if I was waiting for zone 4. I said yes and told her, chuckling, that flying as cheaply as possible had landed us at the back of the line. She responded, telling me that a last minute purchase earned it for her, as she had just received news her sister in Maryland didn’t have long to live. I saw her eyes well with tears and knew she felt an urgency about this trip. I told her I was sorry and would pray God would allow her to see her alive. She then beamed and told me she is a believer, my sister in Christ. We spoke of our Savior as the line progressed and found out we live only about a half hour from one another. She told me her ailing sister is a believer, too, but not her other 7 siblings. I began to plead for their salvation in my spirit immediately. We boarded, were seated several rows and an aisle apart, so we smiled and parted ways.
As the flight leveled out, I got the kids busy coloring and playing playdoh and I felt an urging to write this fellow passenger a note with scripture and encourgement as she traveled alone during an emotional time. Knowing we would soon be “neighbors” again, I included our names and my cell number. I delivered the note on a bathroom trip during flight. Not long after, she passed down the aisle and brought me a note. She said, “When you read this, you’ll know it’s a God thing.” Turned out, her devotion that morning had been about how God ordains our every step. And get this…her maiden name was SANFORD!! We don’t know yet if we are kin, but we know we are sisters in Christ! We’ve been texting as we travel and she was able to have time with her sister. Praise be to God for opportunities to glorify Him in the simple, every day things of life!! May we all be open and aware of what He has for us every moment of every day. Merry Christmas from Alabama! To God be the Glory!!

Hebrews 11 is often called the faith chapter. We are going to work, as a family, toward memorizing it in its entirety over the next few weeks. Many examples of regular folks with big faith are described in detail. Because their stories are so inspiring, I’ve always cringed to hear people say that our family’s journey to Colorado is a step of faith or leap of faith. However, in recent personal study of verses about faith, I’ve come to realize how varied the faith examples in His Word are and how that is exactly what He has and continues to strengthen in us. Verse 1 says that “Faith is confidence, or assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.
Obviously, huge faith is required for salvation because we must hope for Heaven and believe without seeing Jesus with our own eyes. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” or, as The Message Bible puts it, “The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense”. We are here on Colorado Springs to learn all we can from more seasoned pastors, missionaries, and church planters and to study deeply what the Bible says about the church, ministry, and discipleship. The cross is foolishness to many here still, but the power of the cross is real in our lives and we want to share our salvation stories, His love and kindness, and the truth of His Word with as many as we can, while learning how to focus in and truly disciple small groups of people as well.
Our journey is one of great faith, believing God has a perfect plan for what we can’t see…being certain He will bring people to Himself and allow us to be a small part of it, believing He will place other believers in our path who will join us in the next year or two or three (short term and long term) to help us equip the saints for ministry and disciple and “do life with” new believers, assured He has a perfect plan for the sale of our house in Demopolis and sure He will continue to provide for our needs through His people, a job for Eric, or both! The greatest part is that ALL things done in faith, no matter how big or small, point to Him and bring Him glory, rather than ourselves. We heard it said recently, at one of our learning intensives, that we must be alert and careful, daily in self-reflection and prayer, or we can accidentally rob the cross of its power and draw people to ourselves and our church, rather than to God. Join us in praying for humility and intentionality. Pray we will live every day in faith and be bold witnesses. May our lives, words, and actions…everything we do…always point to Him and bring Him glory!
We would be lying if we didn’t say there are tough times, trying days, but God is giving us a perfect measure of strength and grace for each day as it comes. Sometimes, I still can’t believe we are here and this journey is real, but the relationships we are building with lost people and the daily training and learning we are privileged to be part of is continually confirming the great need for life changing, powerful, redemptive salvation here and our specific calling to come to Colorado and make disciples!

Eric and I were privileged to attend the Multiply Conference at Vanguard this past weekend and hear from seasoned missionaries about “missional/incarnational” approach to church planting. We were able to visit with current friends, gain some wonderful new friends and soak in so much practical knowledge and guidance. Even before this weekend, we’ve felt God bending and stretching us toward a missional model when we move to Lowry (or wherever He may lead us) next year. Every conference speaker, main sessions and breakout sessions, referred in some way to Ephesians 4. I’ve been digging into it, chewing on all the meaty info presented, and praying earnestly that God will help me love everyone the way He loves and speak boldly of His power and grace/mercy in my own life, EVERY chance I have, being intentional in every opportunity, every day. Please take a few minutes to read Ephesians 4, ask questions of us, and prepare your hearts and minds to hear more about the specifics of what we believe God is calling us to.
Also, praise Him for adding a few prayer warriors and financial supporters to our team! Without sincere prayer and generous giving, this journey isn’t possible. God continues to meet our every need! We pray for our partners and we want to display your photos as a visual for our children as they pray with us, for you. Email us a pic to eric@sanfordfamily.org, please. Also, let us know if you do not currently receive our prayer/praise newsletter and would like to become a prayer partner today!!

Comments, anyone? 🙂

This past Sunday marked our 50th day on the ground in Colorado Springs. Granted, several of those were mostly wandering to learn the lay of the land and unpacking to settle into our new home. However, to think of all we have learned, experienced, and wrestled with in just 50 days is phenomenal and leaves us great excitement and anticipation of the remainder of our time here and our future time planting in Denver.
Though we are only in Colorado Springs for one year, we want to be open to any way God wants to use us. We have been given a burden for our neighborhood. When we took baked goods around door to door, meeting neighbors, we quickly learned there is no sense of community in the immediate area of our home, yet quite a few people were open to conversation and invited us in. We see potential for building a strong sense of community here and building strong relationships that will thrive and exist even after we move again. We want to share Christ with our neighborhood and believe it begins with getting to know them, helping them get to know each other, and being genuine in our love and care for them.
Pray for us and for our neighbors, please. Pray God will be our focus and guide, pray His Word will be on our lips and His love behind our actions. Pray we won’t be ashamed of the Gospel. Pray our neighbors will be receptive and willing to meet others, hang out, and hear Truth. Pray other Christians  will be revealed to us and have the same harvest mission.
Specifically, we will be hosting a Pumpkin Carving and Contest on our driveway on Sunday, Oct 28 @ 3 pm. The previous Sunday, 10/21, we will be inviting neighbors and distributing invitations to those not home. We have also entered a Missional Giveaway, requesting funds to jump start a Community Supper Club twice a month in our home, meeting neighbors and connecting those with similar interests. Even if we are not chosen to receive funding for this (decision will be announced Nov 3), we still plan to begin this in Nov, using some of the funds many of you are providing. Pray for these “events” and others God may prompt us to coordinate. May God be glorified in all we say and do and may we do these “as unto the Lord”.
God is good, all the time…all the time, God is good!!

Today, we set out as a family, baked goodies in tow, hoping to meet many of our nearby neighbors and begin to build relationships and find out specific needs to lift up in prayer. We prayed before and as we went, specifically for open doors and softened hearts. No deep theological discussions or even Gospel sharing planned, just high hopes of a beginning of loving on those of whom God has placed us immediately in the midst. Oh, how convicting that we didn’t really know some of our Alabama neighbors. May we never neglect fellowship with the ones so close by, ever again. Would you join us in praying very specifically for the ones we met today and continue praying we can meet even more and grow into deeper fellowship with some? Would you join us in praying that the Gospel may be made known on these streets and that other laborers will be raised up for the harvest before our year here ends? Would you accept the challenge to meet your neighbors and hear their stories and pray over their homes? God is mighty to save, in your neighborhood and ours!!
Specific needs…please intercede for these, and others we don’t know about yet…
Next door on one side…Eric and his wife Sarah, raising two daughters (ages 7 and 4), grandmother and grandfather living in home as well. He was actually born in Huntsville, AL and is a college football fan. Only God could orchestrate that! Pray football will bring our families close and Gods love would overcome them, soften them and change their hearts to be patient and loving inside their home.
Next door on the other side…very brief interaction bc our timing interrupted an online exam. Pray we have another chance soon. Pray for her as she juggles a career and schooling. Pray God will soften her and help her want and make friends.
Behind us, there is a short street with several homes. At a few, no one answered. Pray a time will come when we can meet those.
Pray for Donnie, a very young father with two babies. The lady of the house and the two babies were napping, but Donnie was very friendly and said he will bring the family around to meet us one afternoon soon. Pray for them as they work to provide and care for 2. Pray God will bring us into conversation again soon and deepen our connection.
Pray for Andrea and Jesse, a young couple expecting their first child in December, baby Ava. Andrea welcomed us in, was very open, the kids played with her cat. Jesse is currently deployed overseas with the Air Force, due home in November. Pray for him to arrive home safely, before Ava’s arrival. Pray we can minister to her in his absence and have a chance to meet him when he returns. We exchanged phone numbers in case she needs a handyman or anything else in the meantime. Pray God will comfort her in her loneliness and protect her and Ava’s health.
Pray for Cindy and her husband. Eric had already met them last Thursday when one of our pups escaped the fence and ran to their house. We were able to thank them again for rescuing him, and to meet their 4 large inside dogs. Her husband was sick today and couldn’t visit. Pray for physical healing for him. Pray for God to bring us together again to talk and deepen our fellowship.
Pray for Craig, a recently divorced man, living alone. He is experiencing some bitterness and loneliness, it seems. He is a general contractor looking for more work. He was very friendly and open and has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years, so he may be a link for us, to many others. Pray we can chat with him again soon.
Pray for salvation for each of these, if not already secured. Pray that if there are other Christians in our neighborhood, that God will reveal it and allow us to serve together. Pray for more opportunities to meet and minister to our neighbors. Pray for a large group gathering at our home soon, outdoor ice cream social or grill out party. May we continue to grow more intimate with Christ, study and memorize His Word, seek and obey His will, and be salt and light in and around our new home. May all Glory be God’s for what he has done, is doing, and will do!

“How great is our God…SING WITH ME, how great is our God…all will see how great, how great is our God!” Wherever you are, stop and take time to praise God for His greatness, in your own life and in ours, for He is Worthy!!
We’ve been in Colorado Springs for 17 days now and there are no words for God’s provisions, care, protection, divinity, etc…except to say He truly is great, a great I can’t describe!
From weeks, months, even years before our journey here became reality, God has given us repeated confirmation that this is His calling, His plan. And from the moment we left to travel and each day of the 17 we’ve had here, we continue to see His hand in it. Thank you for your financial support and your prayers. We couldn’t have imagined better travel weather, more agreeable passengers (kids and pets!), or more fun/safety/beautiful scenery along the way! Last week, for our homeschool Bible memorization, we learned Ephesians 3:20. Never has it been more evident in our lives that “God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. He does everything by his power, which is working in us!” To God be all the Glory!
Our transition to a new house and new city couldn’t be smoother, either. We are settled in and the space/layout of our rental home suits us very well. We are finding our way around town easily and enjoying the many free activities offered for families here. We have already begun to connect with some people at Vanguard Church, both staff and members. The corporate worship there is very genuine and pure, difficult to describe. The people we’ve met there are genuine, warm and caring…just what we needed, coming from the “family” of Fairhaven!
God has already brought needs of this city to our attention and we are assessing this new and unique culture. In restaurants and stores, at playgrounds and even dog parks, we’ve already had opportunities to talk with people and hear their stories and begin to love them where they are. We’ve met many believers, quite a few southern transplants like ourselves, even some SEC fans! It’s a touch of familiarity we didn’t expect to find quickly, but God has placed people in our path, often in ways only He could orchestrate. School has started at home, we are establishing a routine with each passing day, and we are actively seeking ways to be used by the Lord here, praying we will share boldly and boast only in Him!
This week, the kids and I have studied Elijah, “the fiery prophet”. Alex mentioned the song “Like a Lion” and asked if the part about fire falling related to Elijah. Truth is, I don’t know, but the words to that bridge have become one of our prayers of pleading to God…Lord, please, “let Heaven roar, let fire fall, come shake the ground with the sound of revival”! I know it starts in me and the stretching of my faith, dissolution of my pride, and conviction of my sin are part of this transition but not easy or pain free. May the end result point only to my God, bring many into His royal family, and bring Him glory and honor for He is a GREAT GOD!!

Frustrated to tell you I typed a lengthy blog post that didn’t survive being saved as a draft. Boo. Here’s the new, condensed version.
Tonight and Sunday night, we have farewell gatherings at our church…tonight with our youth and youth workers and Sunday with our entire church family. To be honest, this is the most difficult part for me! No part of me wants to say goodbye to my family or my friends. There will be tears shed for sure!! However, those mixed emotions come flooding back in. I remind myself this isn’t a final goodbye. Prayer will connect our hearts daily. Visits to Alabama will include seeing our Fairhaven family, sharing updates about church planting and bragging on God together. Technology makes the world smaller and we will connect by phone and online. Nothing makes moving “easy” on the emotions, but being joined to family and friends by an eternal bond sure makes it “easiER”! Great comfort comes in knowing we are following God’s lead into Colorado and believing He has gone before us! Even through my tears, I can say it is well with my soul!

Countless people have questioned us since the recent wild fires in Colorado Springs and shooting in Aurora.  Most want to know how far we will live from where these tragedies took place.  The truth is, extremely close.  Our rental house in Colorado Springs (where we will live for one year to participate in a church planting residency) is roughly 25-30 city blocks from the line at which the fire was finally contained.  The area where we currently feel led to live, love, minister and plant after the residency is complete (Lowry neighborhood of Denver) is roughly 6 miles from Aurora.  Those are the geographic facts.  Now for the more difficult question.  Many have wanted to know if we still plan to go, live amongst tragedy, take big risks…or if we see those as a clear sign that we have misunderstood the call and should reconsider.  The answer, for us, is just as simple.  We have never been more sure of anything in our lives.  God has grown and shaped us so much in the past few years, as both of us have searched and studied His Word like never before, building an intimacy with Him that we enjoy and crave more than ever!  We are heading to Colorado in a few weeks, absolutely certain that it is His plan and His call on our lives.  Though the tragedies are very real to us and affect many people we will soon meet, we see ministry opportunities rather than obstacles.  God did not give us a spirit of fear, so we pray away Satan’s attempts to have fear grip us and hinder ministry.  The shooting is heartbreaking, almost impossible to fathom.  However, it confirms what we already know…Denver is a super sized city with the majority of the population knowingly lost, spiritually.  People out there are questioning and searching for answers in the face of senseless deaths from fires and murder.  God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  He has allowed these tragedies for a reason and He gives a peace that passes understanding, no matter the situation.  We pray daily that as we go and do His work and share His love and His Word with the people of Colorado, He will receive all the Glory and many will follow Him and know Him intimately as a result.  He is in control, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and His perfect love casts out fear so His children may live a full, abundant life.  May it be so!

Despite my peace about our call to plant, the long distance move, the need to raise funds, and the many other changes upon us, many of you are full of questions, worry, maybe even doubt. This is an incredibly exciting time for our family, a journey where much is unknown. God has guarded me against fear and worry, which is not me by any means. For me to be calm and peaceful and give Him control of big life changes is all Him…in these areas, I am weak but He is strong. The emotional end of the move is extremely difficult for me to navigate. My connections to my family, friends, church family, and homeschool group run deep. I find myself celebrating the quick, God-ordained sale of our home, while simultaneously grieving the separation from it. My heart bursts with joy when I ponder what God will do through little ol’ me, as He molds me more into His likeness and shapes me into a pastor’s wife and church planting partner. Yet, I weep almost daily (even as I type now), as we encounter some of our “lasts” here in Alabama. I haven’t allowed myself to grieve publicly, fearing my tears will convey a false message of fear or doubt to you…never wanting my misty eyes to falsely convince anyone of you that my heart isn’t in this, that I don’t want to go or am being coerced. My sadness is real. I love deeply and am so blessed to have so many to love here. The call to Colorado is undeniably from God, though. When I heard my sweet children singing last week, the words rang so true…”Where You go, I’ll go. Where you stay, I’ll stay. When You move, I’ll move. I will follow You.” I am confident that God has called us as a family and has gone ahead of us, preparing a way and softening hearts. 1 Corinthians 1 says that if we boast, we are to boast in Him. God has given me a testimony. I’ve been redeemed. I am a new creation. I’m going to let tears fall as they may, hug necks tighter than ever before, praying all the while that I don’t waste one minute of our remaining time in Demopolis. But, when it is time to go, I will hold my head high and march on, following the call of God wherever He leads. I will boast about Him and share the old redemption story, literally shouting it from the mountaintops of Colorado. May He receive the glory for equipping me, Eric, and our children for His work and may the reward for obedience be a great harvest of souls, all while He maintains the ties that bind us to Sweet Home Alabama!