The Moores | SovHope Spotlight Blog

I’ve had a great many privileges in my life. I married my childhood sweetheart. I took a two-week road trip on the East Coast. I saw the Falcons play the last ever football game in the Georgia Dome, and win the NFC Championship (we’re not going to talk about what happened after that). I was the best man in my best friend’s wedding. But something that really stands out, is when Sarah and Tyson asked me to give the toast at their rehearsal dinner. They couldn’t have made a worse choice, but at the time I was honored. So honored in fact, that I prioritized writing it mere minutes before I was supposed to give it. Let me set the stage. I was sixteen, with long flowing hair. I held the piece of paper that contained the speech in my hands, which were shaking from nerves, but this was no ordinary speech, it was a poem. I looked up at all the smiling radiant faces that would certainly transform into astonished horror, took a deep breath, and then went on to deliver every last poorly rhymed word after poorly rhymed word. A 5th grader could’ve done a better job. But afterwards, I remember having to hold back tears. I was really proud of what I had just accomplished, but it’s like one of those moments when you happen to find that old Creed album that you listened to so much that the back of it is all scratched up, and you pop it into the CD player with great anticipation thinking, “This is going to be awesome,” and then it starts playing, and instead you think, “Wow. I can’t believe I used to blare this album in the High School parking lot and think I was cool,” like all of us did…right? Right. The point being that most of us have probably made silly decisions that we thought were awesome, maybe even privileges, (like letting some long-haired dingus give a toast or being that long-haired dingus) but we look back and recognize that we’re not the same people we were and that we’ve grown since then. I can say that I can look back and know I am not the same person I was back in those Creed playing, long-haired dingus days, and it is a privilege to say that Sarah and Tyson have played an important role in that.

“Summer is fine. Summer is good. And it never lasts as long as it should.”

I thought I would give you all a taste of the kind of garbage I wrote for Sarah and Tyson’s toast, but it really sums up the Moore’s mentality of this summer. It’s been filled with good times, and a lot of projects. Most of us saw more furniture magically appear from Tyson swinging a mallet then we did super hero movies this summer, which would be a pretty sweet super power. Unfortunately it’s not, and it takes Tyson a lot of work to do those projects. From cutting boards and mallets, to entertainment centers and benches, Tyson has steadily been building up quite the catalogue for his online website tysonmoorebuilds.com, and has even branched out to selling some of those products online. But we all know Tyson, which means we all know that he isn’t doing it for a catalogue or selling them online, but to serve others, which is why almost 100% of his “customers” have been church members. I don’t know about you guys, but I think that’s a high enough percentage to make Tyson’s woodworking a Sovereign Hope Membership Benefit. Who’s with me?!

Besides working on those projects, the Moore family has been soaking up the sun and fun by taking the girls to Line Creek, going to Jacksonville Beach, and even rolling a bowling ball or two at Junction Lanes. But even with all those projects and all of the fun times, Sarah and Tyson just felt like something was missing from their summer, and they started asking themselves a hard question, “How are they going to use their summers to make an eternal impact?” While that is a kingdom worthy goal, they’re not quite sure exactly how that question fleshes itself out. The only thing they can do now is pray that John Piper will come out with a new book titled Don’t Waste Your Summer. As long as Tyson keeps making me quality furniture every summer and Sarah keeps making really good pizzas, I know I will be eternally grateful.

Well kiddies, deflate the water wings, empty the squirt guns, and peel that sunburn off; summer break is coming to a close. This means that’s it’s time for Tyson to start dusting off the ole rubric and syllabi and start preparing to mold minds, but he’s not the only person in the Moore family household that’s preparing to mold minds. That’s right, I’m talking about Home Schooling! Macie will be in Kindergarten, Callie will be in Pre-K, and Elsie Kate will be somewhere in the back bedroom, hopefully asleep. Now, in the south we have a saying for this, which goes something like, “Bless her heart”, but really means, “She’s done lost her mind!” Sarah certainly hasn’t lost her mind, but that doesn’t mean she won’t by the end of the school year. This is a new area for her, and she is attacking it head on like most of us would, by freaking out. To be fair, most of her concerns are valid. Will Macie be able to transition from viewing her as a mother to a teacher? Will Callie sit still and listen? Can she teach them and take care of a newborn? Will they be able to learn how to tell time? Well, like I said, most of those are valid. But it’s interesting to listen to her talk about those concerns, because the whole time I’m thinking, “You’re Sarah Moore. I know you. I know your heart and character, and I’ve seen you take care of multiple foster kids plus your own, while inviting church members over for supper and serving them. You’ve got this!” To me, that fact alone would be enough to get her through, but thankfully she knows that she’s surrounded by a church family that will continue to offer her encouragement and support throughout this process.

Macie and Callie resemble those best friends that we’ve all heard about and maybe some of you have experienced first-hand; they could not be farther apart from each other and yet just as close at the same time. From hair color to personality, if you looked at them separately you may not be able to determine that they are sisters, but as soon as they get together it becomes obvious. They do everything together! They play together, watch movies, bathe, and fight. Very similar to a best friend relationship…except for maybe the bathing part.  That being said, their differences pose some benefits and challenges. I think a benefit is that they will grow up with someone who constantly has a different perspective, which is a good learning tool. I think the challenge is that they will grow up with someone who constantly has a different perspective, which can be hard, but I think we can all agree that Macie and Callie have more than capable parents to handle those ups and downs.

As we all know, there has been a fairly recent addition to the Moore family in the form of sweet Elsie Kate. She could not have been more of an answer to prayer for the Moore’s as they prepared to add a third child to their growing family. Elsie sleeps, she eats, she doesn’t have any medical problems, and she’s fairly quiet for a newborn. All in all, a very great addition to a household with a 5-year-old and about to be 4-year-old.

What I love about the Moore’s is exactly what I said in the intro; they have had a huge impact on who I am today. I have known Sarah my whole life, and while I’ve never had to put it in words, I recognize my relationship with Sarah is truly something unique and special, and I know that it transcends the typical cousin relationship. I have been able to see her devotion to Christ, her transformation into a godly woman, and her faithful service to her family and church. Then I got to see her pick one of the most incredible human beings (almost as incredible as her!) that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. The office of elder is a high calling, one that isn’t taken lightly, and I have been able to witness the work that Christ has done in Tyson to make him the man for the job. Through that work, he has taught me so much about the pursuit of glorifying God through the sacrificial service to his family and others. These things combined have had an incredible impact on who I have grown to be, but it’s more than that, because I know that they have had a huge impact on not just me, but many, if not all, of you as well. As a church, we are extremely blessed to have Tyson leading us an elder and Sarah giving us a great example of a servant hearted wife, mother, and follower of Christ, and it is our honor and privilege as a church to be serving alongside of their family.