The Aufenkamps Are Finally Here!
We’re here! After months of anticipation for us, it is with great joy that my wife Emily and I have moved down to Vancouver to stay! Although for the time being it’s a little surreal to think that we don’t have to make another trip up to Bellingham, our home for the past 3 years, we could not be more excited that God has landed us at Evergreen. As we attended church this weekend it was wonderful to be joyfully greeted by so many of you, and to know that you have been praying for us and our transition.
Over the past months, Emily and I have had countless discussions about our new role at Evergreen (although the job is specifically mine, Emily’s support is of enormous importance in my mind). Mainly, we have tried to lay out our hopeful plans of what things could look like, and we’re genuinely getting ‘stoked’ that God would lead us to this exact spot. Yet, amidst all of the expectation and planning, in the end our ultimate takeaway is that the Lord is in control, and that our job is simply to serve Him so that His will be done.
In Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, he leaves them by saying:
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
As I think upon this benediction, I’m always amazed by the fact that God qualifies and equips His people to serve His Bride, the Church. We can make plans and speculate, but at the end of the day, God is the one who allows us the ability to love and to serve. So, we are expectant on the Lord who guides and equips us to do His will.
Emily and I are very eager to get to serve this body over this next season of our lives. The very first step in doing so is to get to know you! So please, come say hello to us when you see us around at church. We can’t wait to get to know all of you more!
Ryan Aufenkamp
Categories: Evergreen Connection