Dear Falls Church Family,

Speaking on behalf of Natalie, Addie, and Annie, we have never been so fond of a people or a place as we are of you. I have never been more blessed in ministry than serving alongside such a gifted, generous, and long-suffering body of believers and coworkers. Together, we’ve doggedly pursued Christ through the Scriptures, and our lives are richer because of it.

As we prepare to leave, I am reminded of C. S. Lewis’s words in The Problem of Pain: “Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”

The pain we feel as we depart reminds us this has indeed been one of those inns. You have refreshed us, encouraged us, challenged us, and loved us well. Let’s all be friends the rest of our lives—and then after that, too.

In whatever ways I may have ministered to you, you have ministered to the Arnold family tenfold. Your kindness, prayers, generosity, and friendship have sustained us more than you know.

As we depart, my own words cannot adequately express the gratitude and affection we feel for this family of God. So I leave you with a passage from the Easy-to-Read Version of the New Testament—the translation my Thai immigrant mother-in-law first read after Natalie gave her a copy:

“God is fair, and he will remember all the work you have done. He will remember that you showed your love to him by helping his people and that you continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6:10)

Thank you for loving us so well and for enriching our girls’ childhood and walk with God in countless ways. We love you, and we praise God for you.

Maranatha,

Jordan, Natalie, Addie, and Annie Arnold