When, How, and Other Questions

July is halfway over. That means, at least for my family and I, there is really one big thing left for the summer. Camp and the Senior Trip are finished. VBS and the Missions Trip are complete (I'll be posting some observations from all these in the coming days). Now it's onto the move. As many of you may know, we are moving to a new church and ministry in Hixson, TN. It is a bittersweet parting from our 22 years in IL, but we are excited to start this next chapter. The only problem is that there is still the big unanswered question regarding our house, and all the other questions attached to it. The answer to this question will determine how the next few months of our life looks, and to be honest my wife and I have really been wrestling with it.

When will our house sell? Who will buy it? How will we be able to move to TN if is isn't sold? Will we have to live apart for a time? Where will I live in the mean time if we do live apart? All of these questions are reasonable to ask and need to be answered. What seems unreasonable to me is how much I'm struggling with doubt. I doubt and worry despite the unblemished track record of our God answering all these questions in an amazing way during each of our seven previous moves.

Some of these questions seem to be finding resolution. I know that I'll at least be heading to TN on Saturday, July 27 to begin my time at Hixson Presbyterian. I know that many there will be a place for me to stay when I get there, even if I don't know the exact place yet. What I don't know is what will happen to my four beautiful ladies.

If we get a contract on our house during this week then we still might be able to all head down to TN together. If not, it will mean time apart. Where will our girls go to school? When will I see them next? The questions go on and on...

Our family would appreciate your prayers. We are so thankful for the many prayers that are already being poured out to God on our behalf. Please keep praying. Pray that God would send a buyer for our home. Pray that God would provide for our needs in the transition period. But, most of all, pray that we would have the faith to trust God no matter how His plan for us turns out. Ultimately the best will happen, even if it isn't exactly how I would have planned it. I still have hope that our family will be able to travel to our new ministry together. However, if that doesn't happen it just means that, at some point and for some reason, it is more important for our family to be apart for a time.

Thank you in advance for your prayers. I look forward to posting again at some point how God has answered all these questions in His perfect way, according to His perfect plan.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."   2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Singables: "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem"

Image
Each Sunday of Advent I'll be featuring a different Christmas song we use in our worship. Hopefully, you'll be introduced to some new and engaging songs that will bring freshness to your personal and corporate worship.  ( 12.2 - O Sing a Song of Bethlehem  / 12.9 - Christ the Lord is Born Today / 12.16 - When He Comes / 12.23 - In the First Light ) "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem"  text by Louis Benson, melody by Lucy Broadwood and Ralph Vaughan Williams Alternative arrangement and lyrics-  "How Suddenly a Baby Cries" by Keith and Kristyn Getty , released on Joy: An Irish Christmas , 2011 (this is the Getty's arrangement which gets pretty upbeat at about 1:40 into the song) You can find this original hymn in most of the hymnals at church. It is number 167 in ours. I like both arrangements of this tune as each emphasize different elements. Why I recommend this song for worship- The hymn text of this song traces the life of Christ from the cr...
Read more

Christian Deconstruction

Image
My latest morning live session gave some insights into my own experience with Christian Deconstruction. If you aren’t familiar with this phraseology, think of it like tearing down a house in order to see what the foundation is made of. Many Christians go through this process once they are confronted with a crisis of adversity or prosperity. Jesus spoke about this directly in his parable of the different soils in Matthew 13. While only one of the plants in this parable bore fruit and proved to be genuine, two others looked like legit plants until they were confronted with trials, adversity, or the pleasures of this world. When those came around they were shown to be what they were, a fake plant. Personally, I went through this deconstruction process at the end of 2017. I was very suddenly without a spouse, job, or church. My roles of husband, pastor, ministry leader, and churchman were removed and I was left to consider what my faith really rested on. Was it based on what I wa...
Read more

Lord From Sorrows Deep I Call

Image
These past few weeks I've been wrestling with loneliness. It's been a difficult transition; moving from having someone to talk to about everything to... well, to sharing that with a journal, and maybe a few highlights for my friends. The huge positive is that I talk a lot more with God. I know He's always known me, but I'm feeling like we're communicating better, and more often, than I ever have in the past. However, the loneliness still remains. I know I'm not alone in this life situation. My mother-in-law (how does that work now?) who will always be my second Mom lost her husband several years ago, and I know she's wrestled with this. I have friends who have been single all their lives, seemingly content with their friends and their God, but go through seasons of doubt and discouragement all the same. I know others who have lost a spouse through death or divorce. Still others who simply feel alone even within their marriage and outwardly perfect life. ...
Read more