“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘thank you,’ it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart 

Maybe the Number One reason that “I am thankful” should be the fact that it was two years ago today – November 27, 2023 – Rebekah and I rolled into this town, pulled up outside the house we rented on Saint James Street, and officially landed in Tarboro.

Of course we had no idea what was going to happen, what amazing people we would meet, how beautiful a faith community our church would prove to be, that we would not return to Wake Forest after the year was done, how we would fall in love with a derelict house on Saint Patrick Street and how easily our hearts and souls would become entangled in this uniquely inviting and hospitable town.

So here we are, two years in, deeply invested in the historic district, loving the pace of life here, settling into our new identity as retired people (kind of), residents of this exceptionally classy, cultured, creative, captivating and historic town.

We are truly grateful. And it remains our prayer that, even though Rebekah has retired from professional ministry, we live in such a way that our impact on this community remains positive and that Tarboro becomes in some small sense better still because we are privileged to live and to love and to share and to serve here.

We feel so thankful not just to have landed here, but landed on our feet.

With a grateful heart – DEREK