We’re moving!!

I really honestly can’t believe it.  I mean, I can, because we moved to Louisville so Matthew could go to seminary and school would eventually have to end, but what I can’t believe is that we are at THAT point.  The point where Matthew has graduated and we move away from here.  The point where he becomes a pastor.  The point where we would have to say goodbye to so many good and close friends, again.  When I came kicking and screaming (submissively, of course) to Louisville, I had no idea what these 3 years would be like.  Matthew started seminary 4 years ago, and since it took over a year to sell our home, we have only been in Louisville for 3 years.  The 3 fastest, best years of my life.  I had no idea how much I needed this place.  Moving here was hard, really really hard.  I know we were only 2 hours from Cincinnati (which we took full advantage of, especially the first few months), but it was the first time (other than college) that I had moved away from my home town and started a new life.  We left the church I had grown up in, left friends that I’ve had for a lifetime, and went to a place that was completely foreign.  I knew we were doing the right thing in moving.  I was confident the Lord was calling us into the ministry in some form, but it was still really hard and really scary.  But the Lord used those fears to call me to trust in Him and pursue Him above all else.  Why were we coming to Louisville? So I could be safe and comfortable? No, so we could be obedient to where the Lord is calling us to go! And Louisville was just one step towards the ultimate goal, wherever or whatever that may be.

I can’t even begin to describe what has happened over the last 3 years that made them so wonderful.  Beautiful, life-long friends made, a gospel-centered church, a seminary community filled with people on the same mission with the same heart towards the gospel, loads of classes learning from great minds (for both Matthew and me), invaluable experience serving our church body here, gads of family activities for our little ones….the list really goes on.  And as I type this, I’m really beginning to wonder why anyone would ever want to leave?!?

So, now that school is over, we are incredibly thankful and overjoyed to say that Matthew has found a job!! He is going to be an Associate Pastor and we are thrilled to begin our new ministry!!  Where, you might ask?  Well, you probably won’t believe it, but he got a job at our home church.  In Cincinnati.  Yep, we’re MOVING BACK.  If you had said to me that we would have a job at our church 4 years ago when we started seminary, I would have laughed in your face.  But in God’s providence, he saw fit to work a way to have Matthew come serve this group of believers.  We are beyond excited! Of course we are excited because we will be with those family and friends that we love so dearly, but really our greatest joy in all of this is knowing that we get to serve in a church who loves Jesus, and loves the Gospel.  I cannot wait to see how the Lord will use Matthew with the gifts that he has given him to serve the body of Christ.  And I am honored to stand by his side and do the same.

So what does this mean for Leah Robbins Photography?  My home office will now be back in Cincinnati!! I will just pick up where I left off!! So to my Cincinnati clients who have had to deal with irregular and difficult scheduling of shoots – no more of that! Now my Louisville clients will experience that, but I am still wanting to maintain Louisville business.  This is a great town and has some fun places to shoot in, plus it gives me an excuse to come visit. So bring it on!

We have felt incredibly loved, prayed for, and supported by all our family and friends on both sides of the river and are excited for the next chapter in our life.  So big thank you to all our friends and family and we are overjoyed and completely humbled at the opportunity to serve our home church body.