Today is bittersweet day for our family. This is our last Sunday at Pillar Church in Dumfries, VA. It's harder than I imagined it would be to say goodbye to such a special group of believers in Christ. It's also shocking to realize that we were only members of Pillar Dumfries for a little over a year. Our brief but blessed time at Pillar Church has been one the most fruitful years of our lives. As we found ourselves in fertile ground among so many Christians who have strengthened and encouraged us. This time has been such a wonderful time for our family, as God has been preparing our path for all that lies ahead. The relationships we have built at Pillar Dumfries will last us a lifetime and I know that these friendships rooted in our Lord will be an enormous encouragement to Ray and I in the years that follow. The sound and consistent preaching of the Word of God without apology I believe played a large part in giving Ray the courage to move our family overseas and begin church planting there.
Today is also an exciting day for our family, as God turns a page in our lives and we begin our time at Pillar Church in Locust Grove. We are so blessed to be joining Johnathan Davis and his family has he begins the church plant at Pillar Locust Grove, and we are honored to work beside such a wonderful family. It is Sovereign Providence, I believe, that we have been part of two church plants, and are now blessed to be part of a church plant in it's inception. The Lord has been so good to us in allowing us the opportunity to learn how this process works under the authority of such godly men.
Of all the things we hold dear, godly friendships are probably the sweetest earthly entanglements. But no matter how important our relationships are, we have to always be willing to lay aside our own desires and plans to follow the Lord's leading in our lives. We have no human desire to leave Pillar Dumfries, you could not ask for more God honoring group of believers to worship with. However as scripture states "to whom much has been given much, much is required" (Luke 12:48). As recipients of the good news of Jesus Christ and the support of Pillar church, Ray and I are beginning on this new part of our journey with great joy and anticipation. We pray that we will be good stewards of all the Lord and His people have given us. To Pastor Clint Clifton, the elders and their wives, and to all our brothers and sisters at Pillar Dumfries, I doubt you will ever know the depth of our appreciation for what you have invested in our lives, and we trust the Lord to increase your efforts tenfold through the faithful working of His powerful Holy Spirit.
We will praise God upon every remembrance of you,
The Via Family
