Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
November Recap
The church planting residency is going really well, and we are in full support-raising mode. The Lord has been so faithful to provide, and we are so thankful for the generosity and support we have received already from so many people. I {Erin} started a 2nd round of Bible study with the women in our home group; we are walking through the book of Genesis using this study guide. It has been such a joy to read through the Scripture with the women in our group. Mike had the opportunity to speak at the Young Adults group back at Woodcreek, and will be preaching again at Christ Fellowship at the end of December. He also had a chance to meet with the Network Team at CF to share in more detail our vision for the church plant and what next steps will be. It is such an exciting time, and we are so thankful for all the Lord has allowed us to be a part of!
Our Fur Baby
We had an unexpected visit to the vet with our pup Sasha. She broke a nail {which I realize sounds so trivial!} and had to have it removed. Talk about drama! There was a lot of blood, puppy screaming, and tears (from me), but we survived. She was ok, and we are so thankful for a sweet and caring vet who squeezed her in on a busy day and made her all better.
She got a lot of sympathy that day, and I think she let it go to her head; she has misbehaved quite a bit the last few weeks. From eating her weight in Halloween candy, to getting into the trash...we have had to remove her staying out of the kennel while we're out privileges. Worse than a kid.
On Health and Doctors
I have had some intense stomach and intestinal issues for awhile now, and finally went to see a doctor back in September. We thought we had figured out the problem, but when the symptoms returned this month (and with a vengeance), I had to make another appointment. We still don't have answers and are awaiting another doctor's appointment with a GI specialist on December 12th. We would appreciate your prayers on this; that the Lord would allow the doctor to identify the problem and find the appropriate treatment. And that I would have the patience and endurance to deal with these health issues.
Sic 'Em Bears!
Mike and I had the opportunity to go see a Baylor football game with some friends. It was so fun to be back at Baylor with Laura and Nicki!
When we chose the game against Kansas State, we didn't know that they would be the #1 ranked team in the nation. And we certainly were not expecting Baylor to beat up on them for the win! It was such an exciting game, and I loved being able to share Baylor with Mike!
12 Dates of Christmas
Christmas came a little early this year, as we started the {12 Dates of Christmas} at the end of November. I wanted to surprise Mike with some fun Christmas dates, so we made it through 3 in November and will continue the rest in December.
Early in November, we celebrated birthdays for our sweet niece and nephew. They had everyone over for dinner and cake, and it was a fun time to celebrate with them.
We were in town for Thanksgiving this year, so we were able to spend it with Mike's family. I love that his parents have a tradition of inviting a lot of friends and family that don't otherwise have a place to go on Thanksgiving. So there house is always full! It is such a sweet and generous blessing; his parents are so great at hospitality.
Happy Birthday Mike!
We wrapped up November by celebrating Mike's 31st Birthday. I was able to take the day off, so we got to spend most of the day together (Mike had to work in the morning). We headed out to Erwin Park for a picnic lunch, and it was such a perfect day for it! The weather was beautiful (sunny and 75 on November 26th- gotta love Texas winters!)
We also went to see the new Lincoln movie and went to dinner at Uncle Julio's. I certainly enjoyed spending the day with my love, so I hope he felt loved on his special day!
Our Fur Baby
We had an unexpected visit to the vet with our pup Sasha. She broke a nail {which I realize sounds so trivial!} and had to have it removed. Talk about drama! There was a lot of blood, puppy screaming, and tears (from me), but we survived. She was ok, and we are so thankful for a sweet and caring vet who squeezed her in on a busy day and made her all better.
She got a lot of sympathy that day, and I think she let it go to her head; she has misbehaved quite a bit the last few weeks. From eating her weight in Halloween candy, to getting into the trash...we have had to remove her staying out of the kennel while we're out privileges. Worse than a kid.
On Health and Doctors
I have had some intense stomach and intestinal issues for awhile now, and finally went to see a doctor back in September. We thought we had figured out the problem, but when the symptoms returned this month (and with a vengeance), I had to make another appointment. We still don't have answers and are awaiting another doctor's appointment with a GI specialist on December 12th. We would appreciate your prayers on this; that the Lord would allow the doctor to identify the problem and find the appropriate treatment. And that I would have the patience and endurance to deal with these health issues.
Sic 'Em Bears!
Mike and I had the opportunity to go see a Baylor football game with some friends. It was so fun to be back at Baylor with Laura and Nicki!
When we chose the game against Kansas State, we didn't know that they would be the #1 ranked team in the nation. And we certainly were not expecting Baylor to beat up on them for the win! It was such an exciting game, and I loved being able to share Baylor with Mike!
12 Dates of Christmas
Christmas came a little early this year, as we started the {12 Dates of Christmas} at the end of November. I wanted to surprise Mike with some fun Christmas dates, so we made it through 3 in November and will continue the rest in December.
Date #1 A Dickens of a Christmas in downtown McKinney
Date #2 Deck the Halls! We put up our Christmas tree :)
Date #3 Fireside Date (in front of our fancy Netflix Fire!)
Family TimeEarly in November, we celebrated birthdays for our sweet niece and nephew. They had everyone over for dinner and cake, and it was a fun time to celebrate with them.
Because who wouldn't love a life-size pooh bear that giggles when you press his tummy??
We were in town for Thanksgiving this year, so we were able to spend it with Mike's family. I love that his parents have a tradition of inviting a lot of friends and family that don't otherwise have a place to go on Thanksgiving. So there house is always full! It is such a sweet and generous blessing; his parents are so great at hospitality.
Happy Birthday Mike!
We wrapped up November by celebrating Mike's 31st Birthday. I was able to take the day off, so we got to spend most of the day together (Mike had to work in the morning). We headed out to Erwin Park for a picnic lunch, and it was such a perfect day for it! The weather was beautiful (sunny and 75 on November 26th- gotta love Texas winters!)
We also went to see the new Lincoln movie and went to dinner at Uncle Julio's. I certainly enjoyed spending the day with my love, so I hope he felt loved on his special day!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
October Recap
Things have been busy around here, to say the least! With the start of the church planting residency, there has been no lack of activity around the McCullough house. Things have been busy for me {Erin} at work, and we are getting ready to gear up for another round of women's Bible study. Mike is working hard, splitting his time between the residency, our home group, Starbucks, and support raising. In the midst of it all, we have had some opportunities for random fun :)
Pumpkin Carving
We took a break from our normal home group study and had a night of pumpkin carving! It was fun to see everyone's creative juices flowing, and we were reminded of how blessed we are to have such sweet friends in our lives.
Impromptu Date Night
Mike and I were blessed with an impromptu date night to a pre-season Mavericks game. A friend had some extra tickets, so we headed out for an evening at the AAC. I wore blue to support my husband, but my heart missed the boys in black and silver ;)
Habitat for Humanity
Our home group has wanted to get more involved in community projects, so we had our first event with Habitat for Humanity. They are working on some revitalization projects in the community, so we spent the day clearing out an alley to make it safe for the people living in the adjacent homes. We are looking forward to doing more projects like these in the future, with the hope of "owning" a block of homes that we can care for and get to know the people we serve.
Pumpkin Carving
We took a break from our normal home group study and had a night of pumpkin carving! It was fun to see everyone's creative juices flowing, and we were reminded of how blessed we are to have such sweet friends in our lives.
Trying to figure out the best way to carve a cat...
He designed this all on his own...
Finished products!
October 2012
The whole group with their pumpkin creations!
Mike and I were blessed with an impromptu date night to a pre-season Mavericks game. A friend had some extra tickets, so we headed out for an evening at the AAC. I wore blue to support my husband, but my heart missed the boys in black and silver ;)
A Spurs fan and a Mavericks fan...who knew?
We had pretty good seats!
Habitat for Humanity
Our home group has wanted to get more involved in community projects, so we had our first event with Habitat for Humanity. They are working on some revitalization projects in the community, so we spent the day clearing out an alley to make it safe for the people living in the adjacent homes. We are looking forward to doing more projects like these in the future, with the hope of "owning" a block of homes that we can care for and get to know the people we serve.
It was the first truly cold morning of the season!
Kids Karnival
Mike was asked to help emcee the annual Kids Karnival at Woodcreek, so we were able to see some old friends and help serve the kids and their families. We made our own costumes, and I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. For the evening of the Kids Karnival, we were Clark Kent and Lois Lane!
I think we look pretty darn cute ;)
I was pretty proud of my little name badge...sadly, it was the only thing (other than standing next to my husband) that identified who I was supposed to be haha. Oh well :)
The jokesters- Mike (aka Clark Kent), Paul (aka Friar Tuck), and Scott (aka construction plumber?)
Monday, September 24, 2012
REALLY Long Time No Blog :)
It has been quite awhile since we have blogged here, and we apologize to all 3 of our faithful readers. :)
A LOT has happened since last December. It's actually a little crazy to think about where we were in December and where we are now. The Lord is good and faithful.
In January, we began hosting a Bible study in our home. Our little group consisted of people Mike had met at Starbucks. We are somewhat of an eclectic group, consisting of some who have grown up in the church, some who are new to church, some who are returning. We have singles, marrieds, marrieds with kids, and empty nesters. And it has been such a blessing. We began walking through the book of John together, and we have grown into a little family.
In March, the Lord graciously and abundantly provided a new job for me {Erin}. This was such an incredible answer to prayer, and I am still amazed at the goodness of our God. I think this was one of the "biggies" that confirmed to me the Lord's calling for us to be here in McKinney. And not just our calling, but His promise to take care of us. You can read the full story here.
This whole year, Mike and I have been praying about what our next steps would be in the church planting process. One of the most exciting updates is our partnership and connection with a local church to continue that process. This summer, we walked through an assessment process for a church planting residency with Christ Fellowship. Most of the summer was relational in nature, with Mike meeting with various leaders to learn more about ministry and heart of the church. In August, we went through an official interview process, which included online assessments, ministry applications, a behavioral interview, and an assessment meeting. And in September, Mike and I officially began the residency!
We are both VERY excited about this opportunity, and we are extremely thankful to this local body of believers for their support and encouragement in the church planting journey. This next year will essentially be a "training phase" as we prepare to launch a church. If you'd like to stay connected with us and what the Lord is doing through the church plant, please visit us at our new ministry website: hischurchplant.com.
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We are going to officially move all of our ministry updates to that site, for ease and clarity for our supporters and ministry partners. We will continue to blog here too, but we will use this site mainly as our personal family blog to keep our family and friends updated. And in case you're interested, I have my own personal blog over here. Have enough blogs to read? :)
So quick recap:
A LOT has happened since last December. It's actually a little crazy to think about where we were in December and where we are now. The Lord is good and faithful.
In January, we began hosting a Bible study in our home. Our little group consisted of people Mike had met at Starbucks. We are somewhat of an eclectic group, consisting of some who have grown up in the church, some who are new to church, some who are returning. We have singles, marrieds, marrieds with kids, and empty nesters. And it has been such a blessing. We began walking through the book of John together, and we have grown into a little family.
In March, the Lord graciously and abundantly provided a new job for me {Erin}. This was such an incredible answer to prayer, and I am still amazed at the goodness of our God. I think this was one of the "biggies" that confirmed to me the Lord's calling for us to be here in McKinney. And not just our calling, but His promise to take care of us. You can read the full story here.
This whole year, Mike and I have been praying about what our next steps would be in the church planting process. One of the most exciting updates is our partnership and connection with a local church to continue that process. This summer, we walked through an assessment process for a church planting residency with Christ Fellowship. Most of the summer was relational in nature, with Mike meeting with various leaders to learn more about ministry and heart of the church. In August, we went through an official interview process, which included online assessments, ministry applications, a behavioral interview, and an assessment meeting. And in September, Mike and I officially began the residency!
We are both VERY excited about this opportunity, and we are extremely thankful to this local body of believers for their support and encouragement in the church planting journey. This next year will essentially be a "training phase" as we prepare to launch a church. If you'd like to stay connected with us and what the Lord is doing through the church plant, please visit us at our new ministry website: hischurchplant.com.
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So quick recap:
- Ministry Updates on the Church Plant- hischurchplant.com
- Personal McCullough Family Updates- mikeanderinm.blogspot.com (you are here)
- Erin's Blog- philippians3v7.blogspot.com
Of course, if you have ANY questions, you are welcome to contact Mike at michaeltmc@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you (on any of our 3 blogs!)
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