By the time my head hit the pillow last night, I was well on my way to a sound sleep. I was drained, not so much physically, but emotionally.
Yesterday, we announced my resignation as associate pastor to our church family. It was a day filled with emotions. We felt the excitement that accompanies the sense of God's leading and the sadness of the thought of parting with so many people that we have grown to love.
We will be serving at Grace Fellowship through the end of the year - leaving sooner if God chooses to open a door of ministry for us before that time.
All the while, Robin and I are praying earnestly for God's will and direction to be revealed in our lives and in his purpose for us. We want to be who God wants us to be even more that we want to be where he wants us to be.
Emotional? Yes. But we are filled with the knowledge that while we do not know exactly where this road will take us, we know WHO is leading the way!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Preparrrrrrrrrring For Take-Off
It was my first "date". OK. Not a romantic one, but it was still a "date". I was a strapping young man of 45 pounds, decked out in my blue polyester pants and my blue and white checkerboard jacket. My mom arranged the "date" with a close friend of the family who had recently been divorced. I tried to be the complete gentleman, opening every door and standing to my feet whenever she would leave and return to whatever room we were in. I mustered up all of the charm that a seven year old boy could possibly have.
After dinner at a restaurant, we were off to the entertainment part of our evening. The opening of Disney's The Rescuers. One of my favorite scenes in that movie was when Orrville, the albatross, was trying to take off. Well, here, have a look...
An albatross, even though they can effortlessly fly for days and even weeks on end, has a terribly difficult time taking off. The funny thing about an albatross is that it will wait for hours for the right amount of wind to blow in order to get enough lift to break into flight. If there is little or no wind, these large birds may be land or sea-bound until the right breeze comes along. Walking, for an albatross, is cumbersome and slow - crawling along the ground. I had forgotten about this movie and this scene until last night.
Robin and I have been diligently seeking the Lord about expansion and increase regarding the marriage ministry to which God has called us. The ministry has been in existence since 2004 and, in our minds and from our viewpoint, it has never really left the ground. Much like an albatross without any wind. Sure, we are moving forward, but we are crawling. At least we are crawling after God.
In this scene of the movie, Orrville, basically attempts to run (we can relate to him well)and then throws himself off of the top of a building - the fall providing the speed and lift to achieve flight.
Maybe we have been running, trying to take-off for the last seven years and what we really need to do is throw ourselves off of the proverbial building. Maybe then, the wind of God's Spirit will lift us to fulfil His vision.
No matter what, our hope is in God. He has called us and he will bring about the reality of His vision and purpose.
"Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint."
Isa 40:28-31 NLT
How about you? Have you ever felt like Orrville? Have you been running after a vision that God has given you and it just has not materialized the way that you believed it would? I cannot tell you that you are supposed to jump out of your comfort zone and go "all-in", but that may be what God is waiting for.
There is one thing I take comfort in. Just as an albatross, once it becomes airborne, can fly for days and weeks at a time, God's vision, when we are faithful, will materialize as one that lasts.
It is funny how God has reminded me of this event in my life. Perhaps, even as a seven year-old, God was using me to help bind a broken heart.
After dinner at a restaurant, we were off to the entertainment part of our evening. The opening of Disney's The Rescuers. One of my favorite scenes in that movie was when Orrville, the albatross, was trying to take off. Well, here, have a look...
An albatross, even though they can effortlessly fly for days and even weeks on end, has a terribly difficult time taking off. The funny thing about an albatross is that it will wait for hours for the right amount of wind to blow in order to get enough lift to break into flight. If there is little or no wind, these large birds may be land or sea-bound until the right breeze comes along. Walking, for an albatross, is cumbersome and slow - crawling along the ground. I had forgotten about this movie and this scene until last night.
Robin and I have been diligently seeking the Lord about expansion and increase regarding the marriage ministry to which God has called us. The ministry has been in existence since 2004 and, in our minds and from our viewpoint, it has never really left the ground. Much like an albatross without any wind. Sure, we are moving forward, but we are crawling. At least we are crawling after God.
In this scene of the movie, Orrville, basically attempts to run (we can relate to him well)and then throws himself off of the top of a building - the fall providing the speed and lift to achieve flight.
Maybe we have been running, trying to take-off for the last seven years and what we really need to do is throw ourselves off of the proverbial building. Maybe then, the wind of God's Spirit will lift us to fulfil His vision.
No matter what, our hope is in God. He has called us and he will bring about the reality of His vision and purpose.
"Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint."
Isa 40:28-31 NLT
How about you? Have you ever felt like Orrville? Have you been running after a vision that God has given you and it just has not materialized the way that you believed it would? I cannot tell you that you are supposed to jump out of your comfort zone and go "all-in", but that may be what God is waiting for.
There is one thing I take comfort in. Just as an albatross, once it becomes airborne, can fly for days and weeks at a time, God's vision, when we are faithful, will materialize as one that lasts.
It is funny how God has reminded me of this event in my life. Perhaps, even as a seven year-old, God was using me to help bind a broken heart.
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