Respite!

Now one may wonder why I left my last call and will not start my new call until June 1? Well, it is a time of respite. I am using this time to relax and decompress from my last ministry and get ready for the next call. I am finding as I take this time off, processing the call at Christ Community has brought some unexpected feelings. I do feel freed from the call and am very excited about the new call to plant a new church in Prattville/Millbrook, Alabama, no doubt about that. But I find myself looking over the past three years and many different emotions come up. Joy in the many people who opened their lives to me and allowed me to share with them their joys, sorrows and everyday moments. Joy in seeing Christ grow in many peoples lives and hearing the stories of faith renewed and faith found. Joy in seeing additions taken away and new life in it's place. Joy in being their when lives were forever changed in the waters of baptism and when two individual lives became one in matrimony. Saddness in seeing ministries not meeting their full potential. Saddness in watching politics outweigh servant hood and money over ministry. Wonder as I saw God working in so many ways. Bringing our first keyboard player the Sunday before our first worship (Jim Levy). Opening doors for our worship facility (Francis Hazel Reid Elementary) and placing a Christian Vice Principle in charge of renting to us. Generous donation of our business plan ($80,000!) for our facility plan and Open Arms project.

Now as I enjoy the respite traveling with Linda and visiting our friends and relatives, I am finding myself anxious to start again. Anxious over what will come our way and how God will work through us. There are wonderful people in the Prattville area and they are excited to have me come and work with them to build God's Kingdom. But as anxious as I am, I need to slow down and take full advantage of this time of respite. God is at work, both within me and before me in the new call. I feel the movement of His hand upon my heart. I feel peace coming upon me. God is so good!