Thanks to a pretty massive blizzard, this past Saturday is going to stand out in all of our minds for some time to come.  For me, it’s going to stand out for the rest of my life as the day Laura agreed to marry me.  So, yes, the rumors are true.  We’re engaged.  It’s official.  She said yes.  And I couldn’t be happier.

Three things to say, right at the outset:

1.  God is very good

If the story of Laura and I meeting, serving together, getting to know each other and falling in love shows anything, it shows His goodness.  More than anything, what we both feel these days is a tremendous sense of gratitude to Him.  We met serving His church, we’ve been sustained by His grace when things were hard and as we celebrate now it’s with Him very much in the center.

2.  We love you guys

The Gathering isn’t a job for me.  It’s a group of people I love very much.  You all have such amazing potential, a love for God that encourages me and questions that challenge me to no end.  There are so many moments when I wonder why God has allowed me to share life with you, to lead you and to serve you.  By the way, I’m not sure I’ll ever know the answer to that.  I just know how grateful I am.  And I know Laura would say the same.  We can’t wait to see what God has for all of us in the months and years ahead.  Discovering that together will make it all the sweeter.

3.  Pray for us

We both need a fresh wave of God’s grace as we step into this new phase of life.  Please pray we would stay focused on honoring Christ as we plan the wedding.  Pray we would treat each other well.  Pray we would be faithful and obedient to His call on our lives.  Your prayers really are the greatest gift you can give us.

Thanks so much for being a part of our lives.

For Christ’s Fame,

John