Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Learning Curve

What a tremendous experience these past months have been. I thank God for putting me in these places to hear, feel and see what has happened. Only God's perfect plan would make sense and his plan does make sense. He has led us from a thriving church in Horseheads, NY - to the dream of planting a church in a city setting - to pastoring two small, struggling rural churches. What a ride this has been. For a while I felt underwhelmed because the vision seemed to have shrunk along the way. I found myself pining for something else. Over the past weeks God has been whispering to my soul that I needed to stop looking elsewhere and I needed to be where he has sent me. I have had a divided heart much of the time I was here, because I was wondering what was next.

Over the last weeks I spent time with several people in these communities - I heard their stories, asked them spiritual questions and shepherded them. I began acting like I was here because God sent me 'for such a time as this' (Esther 4:14).
All around us
  • there are lost people who need a Savior
  • there are children who need to know that someone loves them
  • there are couples who need to know about forgiveness and love
  • there is confusion about what it means to be a Christian
  • there a people who are being lied to by the evil one and they have no joy
  • there is the need for a Godly church to rise up and be a light to a community
  • there is an opportunity for souls to find hope here on earth and for eternity
  • there is a chance for believers to step out of their comfort and into God's plan

What an opportunity! The chance of a lifetime to be useful in God's hands.