Tuesday, March 15, 2011

New Phase

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

This past month has been an interesting month for our family. We have made the decision to leave the full-time ministry arena. This decision has not been an easy decision but it is one we feel God is guiding us to. We will be relocating back to Florida to see what God has in store for us. I do not regret the past five years I have served in various ministry roles. I have met some really great people and have worked with some really amazing teens! I pray that those we have served will continue to walk the path God lays before them.

I am excited about this new phase, yet I hate to say goodbye to those who have been there for our family. It is also difficult to say "peace out" to the teens. You guys will never know how much you have impacted me (not that any of them will even read this). You all hold a special place in my heart and will never be forgotten.

This transition is not a typical transition. Usually when people relocate from one state to the other they have a job waiting for them and have an idea of their direction. Well, we don't! However, I have a sense of peace that is hard to explain. As I focus on what Jeremiah 29:11 says, I KNOW God has a plan for my family. HE is going to provide for us and never leave or forsake us.

During this transition, I petition your prayers for our family. I also ask that you lift up the youth group and church in Maypearl. It is a transition for all of us and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will all survive!

Blessings to all!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

It's on the Way

This week, we have witnessed a debilitating storm move through the area dropping an interesting mix of ice, sleet, and snow on our roads. This is a storm that meteorologists talked about for several days, preparing people of what was to come. If you were visit a local grocery store a day or two before the storm came, you would have witnessed a mass of people trying to gather everything they thought they would need in order to survive the coming days. We are people that do not want to be stranded without our favorite snacks or the things we find to be necessary during a time where the roads could be too dangerous to drive on.

Believe it or not, there is an event that is going to take place far greater than any storm or natural disaster that will hit earth. This event is one that has been put in motion for over 2,000 years, but yet, people do not listen to the warning. Jesus himself said in Matthew 4 that we need to repent because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. So what do we do? We sit and we wait. We go about our lives doing what we want to do and when it is convenient we will give God a small portion of our time. We offer him a piece of our heart when He is asking for all of it. Why are we willing to prepare for an ice storm that will last days, maybe weeks, but yet when it comes to our eternal souls, we put it off like it is nothing? Do we think that this warning pertains to everyone but us? When I think of preparing for a storm, I cannot help but wonder, what if Noah did not prepare for the flood like God told him to. What if he built the ark thirty feet too short? What if he told God that he was too busy right now? Noah did what he was told to do when he was told to do it. He found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).

If we want to claim the prize that awaits us, we HAVE to be prepared. Jesus did not sacrifice himself for us to wait around to recognize. His love for us was so great that He died for us. Why do we not embrace that and prepare to live with Him for eternity? It is time to push everything aside, and act like this is a life or death event…because it is. Our eternity rests on our preparation. We do not know the exact day He is coming. We do not know the path that he is tracking. All we know is that He is coming, and when He does, it will be too late to prepare. Heed the warning!