My lovely family, friends, and community,

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you"- Philippians 1. 3-4.

As you may or may not know, I have been offered a position to be the Director of Children's Ministry for a new church plant in Palm Beach County, Florida called Shoreline Church.

If you would have asked me 2 months ago, I would have told you there was no way I was going to move to Florida. There was no way that I was gong to give up working at Solid Rock, move away from my family again, and leave the most amazing community I have ever been a part of.

Then I visited in April and, the entire time, I told the Lord the decision was up to Him.

The trip began and my second flight was from Houston to West Palm Beach. The sun had set and I was super excited. I love flying at night. I can see the Lord's beauty so well in the night sky.

I got to my seat and quickly learned I was one of only 2 people on this plane ride without a person to snuggle up next to. This normally would be fine but I was freezing cold and would have loved a man's jacket to keep me warm. It was in that moment I began being super honest and vulnerable with the Lord.

"Lord I know you are right here and I need you to please come alongside me and warm me up, let me feel your presence for you are a God who is with me."

With my nose pressed against the window to see the stars my entire left side got super warm, and lighting light up the night sky over the cannons, and a shooting star rushed by. I could hear the Lord loud and clear."Britt I will speak to you as loudly as you see the lighting outside this window."

And He did speak- but not about whether I was moving to Florida or not, but about who He has called me to be and, dear friends, that was more than I could have ever asked for.

I spent the week with two couples that have really impacted me.

First, I stayed with Ally and Darrell Vesterfelt, who I have known as a couple since I planned their wedding a few months ago. Ally Vesterfelt (Spotts when we began our friendship) and I were friends before that, and after she met Darrell, I became super close with him as well. They got married and immediately moved all the way down to Florida to help plant Shoreline.

Through wedding planning they became two of my closest friends and supporters. They have invited me into their lives, to walk out life next to them, with them, and among them. Ally and Darrell are invested in me and I in them.

I met Kevin and Danielle (the lead pastor of Shoreline and his wife) for the first time when they flew up to Portland to officiate Ally and Darrell's wedding. We spent two days together along with their amazing littles Addison (5) and Caleb (9 months) and it was an instant connection. From the moment I got my first hug from Danielle I knew she would become one of my closest friends and as I got to know Kevin more I learned that he would support me continually. They became really important to me because as they were in Florida and I in Portland they continued to pursue me. They were intentional about getting to know me and cheering me on- even if I was not called to Shoreline.

When I visited in April they made me feel a part of their family, they welcomed me with open arms and I know confidently they will fight for me.

Their vision for Shoreline is to build a thriving church that not only teaches the eternal truths of the Word of God, but also mobilizes individuals and families to live them out in their everyday lives. Our goal is to create a fun, loving, faith-filled community that will help people flourish and become all that God has designed them to be.

My role at Shoreline will be the director of kids. I will be loving on kids, and "teaching them in the way in which they should walk." and creating a space where they they can come each week and know it's safe to ask questions, be silly, have fun, and ultimately learn about the Truth of Jesus.

My heart is to step into what the Lord has called me to. I can feel His pull to Shoreline so heavy. I can feel his pull to join in and help create a community of men, women, kids, and families that serve the Lord with every ounce of who they are, that listen and move to the Spirit, and that love Jesus and His people with all of who they are.

What I need from all of you is prayer, encouragement and support.

You can support me prayerfully by staying in contact! I am moving July 8th but my phone and e-mail lines are always open. I'll also be blogging about my journey here so there's no excuse for any of you not to know what's going on in my heart! I'm committed to being as honest as I can.

I would love to have you visit me here to hear what God is doing, to read specific prayer requests and to give me encouragement in the comments. You have no idea what your words mean to me.

I can't do this without you.

Speaking of which, in order to make this trip a possibility, I also need financial support. The church doesn't have a lot of funding yet, so I am raising my own salary for my first year of ministry, just like a missionary. Each of the full time staff members are doing this!

All of your contributions are 100% tax deductible. Just make your checks out to Shoreline Church and include my name in the memo line. You'll receive a receipt for tax purposes.

You can send checks to: PO Box 30636, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420

Thank you so very much for joining me in this journey. For cheering me on- even when you thought I shouldn't go. For laughing at me when I said I wouldn't move and you clearly knew the Lord was asking me to go. For just now hearing about my big move but being excited for me. I cannot do this if I do not have you by by side. I cannot move so far from everything I know if you are not sending me encouragement- because I really need encouragement.

Thank you for reading this little letter, for maybe even coming to visit me??

I love you so much. I am so grateful you are in my life, and I cannot wait to hear how you are!!

Brittany, Britt, Britti