A Time For Everything (Williams Life Update)
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I’m just going to get right to it, over the past holiday season our family experienced a big transition. And I’m excited to finally talk about it with you all in this way!
To summarize, we went from leading a small church plant in the west side of Houston (and church planting for a total of 6 years) to now being on staff at Church Project in The Woodlands (North Houston). Of course when I say “on staff” I mean more so Calvin. More details on that in a bit. But first…
TIME FOR SOME CONTEXT
If you’ve been a reader for a while then you probably heard me talk about Church Project and the Church Project Network. Especially around the time we had launched Church Project in Katy last year. While, yes, in January of 2020 we launched CP Katy, in February our family experienced a tragic loss and then in March all churches closed due to COVID.
Months later, Calvin was offered a position at Church Project in The Woodlands. Through much prayer and conversations with leaders at CP, Calvin accepted the offer to be on staff as a pastor at CP. And thus began our journey of transitioning from one place to another. Thus began the journey of saying goodbye to one thing, and hello to another. Thus began the journey of walking out of one door and into another.
Often times we only talk about God “opening doors” in the sense of a new door to walk through. But have you ever considered God may open a door in a way of communicating, “that was it” “you’re done here” “let’s move on to the next thing” “time to go” “walk away” “you’re work here is done”?
I’m an advocate for changing the way we view transitions. Goodbyes, endings, exits, and “walk outs” do not always have a negative connotation. This one doesn’t either.
God lined up our next assignment so perfectly. After opening those doors for us to exit through, He graciously opened another set of door for us to walk through and into something new. A new place we would continue to serve, continue to grow and continue to heal.
Our time in Katy, TX and the 6 years we experienced church planting and leading there taught us so much. And I just so happen to stumble (or the Holy Spirit led me - won’t He do it!) to these passages that accurately describe this transition for me, personally.
“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
TIME FOR SOME UPDATES
Calvin - If you’re new to the blog than you may not know about Church Project. If that’s the case, click here to check out their website. Calvin is now the pastor of Church Project Network. He helps multiply Church Projects around the nation and also helps assist other pastors and leaders multiply CP House Churches (smaller groups that meet in homes throughout the week). He has started working on music again and continuing his studies. He’s a man of few words, so that is all he wanted to share. HA!
(However, I will add this, HE gave us the virus! That’s right, The Williams had the ‘rona - November of 2020 - while trying to move from one house to the next! It was awful. But luckily we all experience only mild symptoms and are OKAY.)
Crystal - And what have I been up to? Back in September of 2020 I started freelancing social media marketing! I created a page with more info on my website that you can read here. Working from home while being a stay at home mom has been a learning curve but one I am grateful for! I love being able to do both.
As you can imagine, a huge transition like this has involved the usual unpacking, furniture shopping, decorating, meeting our new neighbors, moving doctors, familiarizing myself with the neighborhood, streets and city. We love our new home and have enjoyed having our families over and close friends.
We joined a House Church, and a dinner club, I joined a women’s bible study, and also became a part of a moms group park meet-up every other week. All that to say, I’m stepping out and making new friends in a new city. You know, taking initiative! Which is ALWAYS so much easier said than done, even for an extrovert like me. But if I want community, I have to seek it out and do my part.
Lastly, I am training for my FOURTH half marathon!! Moving my body again consistently has been a game changer. It’s been therapeutic while also a good challenge. But I continue to persevere, even on the hard runs because sometimes your mind will tell you you can’t do something your body has before and can again. Anyhow, it’s coming up in May. Say a prayer for me!
Josiah - Saved the best for last! Josiah is now 22 (almost 23) months! I CAN’T HANDLE IT. He’s a whole toddler! June 21st he will be 2 years old and I’m not ready. Time is flying. Where’s the pause button?
His hard palate is completely restored! Praise. No more stitches! We have his next follow up appointment at Shriners on Wednesday, April 28th. We hope to also see his speech therapist then. Now for some fun bullet points about Josiah right now:
33 lbs + 34 inches long
has had TWO big haircuts already
running everywhere & climbing all the things
LOVES being outside/parks/walks
had his first trip to the ER due to a minor concussion :(
currently obsessed with dinosaurs
got a TON of teeth in after palate repair
says “mama, daddy, yes, peeease (please), no, go, and yeah”
HE CAN DRINK OUT OF A STRAW!!! That means he’s successfully learned how to now form a suction with his enclosed palate. (HUGE celebration within the cleft community!)
starts preschool (2 days/week) in September!!! Ahhh!
He throws his little tantrums like any other toddler nearing 2 but through and through he is just as sweet, fun, and filled with wonder as he’s ever been! It’s a sweet time with him. We cherish every bit of it. Enjoy the photo dump! ;)
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
As all these pieces were being moved and God was at work in uprooting us from where we had been and preparing for us a new place to call home and a new place to serve, I felt the urge to refrain.
Refrain from embracing this place.
I refrained from writing blog posts, newsletters, social media posts, and “working on” my blog or online spaces. I refrained from sharing daily stories as I love doing and you all so kindly have shared you enjoy viewing. It just felt like it was a time to refrain.
And before I knew it, six months passed.
Six months where I refrained from consistent posting and sharing my life on the internet.
Yet, while I refrained from embracing all of this... here are some things I haven’t refrained from embracing:
godly community
fulfillment
treasured moments w/family + friends
growth (in every aspect)
challenges + moments of wrestling
remembrance + rituals
steps of bravery
trying new things
tears of pain AND of joy
unlearning and learning
devotion to the only one true God
and change.
And that’s the beautiful thing about decisions made like that - whether gradually like me or with stern determination as one does on a set date like New Years Day - saying “no” or “not right now” to something allows you to say “yes” to or embrace more of another. Meaning, to refrain from all of these things allowed me to embrace other things with a little more intentionality during that time period.
A lot of time spent with my little family (Calvin, Josiah and our pup), a lot of time spent with immediate family, and a lot of time just to myself. I thought and prayed through this huge transition a lot. And really felt, experienced, and processed every bit of it as it happened.
If you and I were sitting across from each other talking face to face and you asked me to sum this all up, I guess I could in this:
God has made the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 come alive for me like never before.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Can I leave you with a thought?
Quit trying to do it all at once, experience it all at once. Allow life to run its course in seasons as it was meant to. There’s a reason why nature operates this way. There is a time for every activity under the sun. And sure, sometimes you are asked to carry or experience more than one thing at a time, even big things and heavy things, but you aren’t meant to do everything, always and forever. Things will change, things will pass, and things will end. But remember, soon, once again, things will settle, things will arrive, and things will begin. What a beautiful thing to reflect on, the beginnings and the ends and all the times in between.
Dear friend, God is always good, always faithful, and always has a plan. In every season, every year, and whatever time you may currently find yourself in or transitioning into/out of. So rest it in.
Thank you for reading! Truly! It was a lot as I got you up to speed and felt led to share a bit of my reflections with you. What “time” or season are you currently in? I’d love to now hear from YOU. It’s been too long!!
Love you friends,
Crystal
