I have made it to Tampa. Tomorrow I preach my first sermon as the minister of the Northwest Tampa Church of Christ.
I know that I will have a lot more to say about this – but suffice it to say – I am beyond excited. Prayers for us as we begin this new work. May God be praised and exalted every step of the way. Here’s a little video my wife sent to me to remind me of the journey that not only we travel, but all of us.
Tonight’s post is a Scripture that has weighed heavy on me recently. From Genesis 12:
God told Abram: “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you.
I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”So Abram left just as God said
Lord willing, if the creeks don’t rise again (or should I say snow drifts), I’ll be departing for Tampa, FL tomorrow.
I will join the Northwest Tampa Church of Christ ministry team as their preaching minister.
God has always taken care of my family. I know He will continue to do so.
Ministry is such a rewarding, fulfilling life. There are ups and there are downs.
To my friends and family here in Nashville, may God bless you all. If you ever need a place to stay when you visit Tampa, or a church family, you’ll know where to turn.
Today I had lunch with some great friends. Ministry has provided some great networks and friends. I wish I had snapped a picture of the gang today but I forgot to do so.
Friends hold us together. This week I will spend time saying goodbye to some dear friends.
A few weeks ago we had dinner at the home of some of the greatest people in Nashville. Grey and Melanie Carter have been great friends and they always will be. (Grey could be the funniest man I know.)
So here’s to friends. We love you all.
I had to drive Kristen to work but Josie was out of school. Naturally we had to stop and get a treat …
21 Christians beheaded. This needs to stop. Prayers for their families. Prayers for God to intervene with the ISIS madness. Prayers, prayers and more prayers.
On Sunday, October 5, I announced my resignation from the Granny White Church of Christ. For 3 years, I faithfully served as the minister for this fine church. I wish nothing but the best for the Granny White family. The GW congregation loved our family well and we will eternally cherish the relationships we developed in our short time there.
I solicit your prayers as I look to God’s guidance to lead me to my next opportunity to serve in His Kingdom. I ask for prayers for my wife as she continues to support me, love me, and stands by my side. I also ask that you pray for our dear sweet little girl, Josie. She has had a hard time accepting the fact that she will not be with her little church friends each week.
My relationship with Kristen is stronger than it has ever been. We seek to stay in ministry, and have several opportunities that God has already put in front of us. We covet your prayers during this time of transition.
I hope that my time at Granny White honored the Lord and His Kingdom. I hope that it served the people there well, and that I helped them to think, to grow, to stretch, and to draw nearer to God.
I love the family at Granny White so very much. These have been 3 of the best years of my life. May God continue to bless you all. Our hearts are full from all the love you have showered upon us.
On Thursday night, we had a major storm move through the area where we live.
At about 8pm, the Tornado Warning popped up while watching the weather report. Kristen and I chatted a bit, and decided at one loud crack of thunder to go and get our little gal and bring her downstairs to our “safe place” – which ended up being our couch watching the weather.
Josie sat down on the couch, and we watched Ron Howes on News Channel 5 show us where the warnings and watches and storms were located. We could hear the sirens blaring, the trees waving, the winds howling, and see the lightning flashes.
When Josie came downstairs, she was tense, nervous, apprehensive, worried….the list goes on and on. We laid her down, put her blanket over her, let her cling to her baby doll, and then I sat down next to her. We watched the radar, I explained what was going on, gave her a quick science lesson on weather, and then we waited.
She went from nervous to calm. That is, until we told her that the warnings had passed, and we were going to take her back upstairs to go to bed. She began to get nervous again – and that’s when I showed her the radar, and showed her that the worst part had passed, that from now on there would be some wind, and some rain, and some lightning, but the worst was behind us.
I looked at her and asked her – do you understand? She nodded yes. Then I asked her – do you trust me? Again, she nodded yes, albeit not quite as enthusiastically.
I told her I’d be right here for her – and if she needed us to call out to us. Kristen got her flashlight, Josie got hers, and they marched off to bed.
Doesn’t that remind you of something?
Sin and death was prevalent. The warnings came from the prophets.
Christ came and told us how to protect ourselves.
He conquered death.
The worst part passed – death was defeated.
He looked at us and said “I’m going back home now, but I’ll be right here to protect you. If you need me, just call on me.”
What a mighty God we serve.
Being Changed from the Inside Out 