So, most of my blog has been filled with news relating to our fost-to-adopt situation lately - and for good reason. That has been a BIG deal in Christi and my life, and it is very important.... but there is a LOT more happening than just that, so I wanted to take some time to begin to share some other news too.
Often we like change when we are young because change is a reflection of our growth and the vitality inherent in our youthfulness. However, when we get older, change becomes more difficult to accept. Many times, change in our life comes about through tragedy, defeat, or loss. As I have gotten older, I have found that change in my own live has become harder and harder. I used to look forward to it and get excited about it. Now I seem to dread most changes. I like the known; the consistent; the predictable; the safe. But life just is not that way.
So one year ago I faced the challenging and difficult change of my Senior Pastor resigning from the church I had worked in for 9 years. I was NOT excited about this change at all. Within weeks God had another plan for me altogether - and called Christi and I to Texas to a new church, new home, new ministry and new friends. After being here for 1 year and becoming VERY close friends (both Christi and me) with the senior pastor and his wife of our new church home - on Jan. 25th, 2009 - the Senior Pastor announced his resignation. So here I am, one year later, facing the same difficult change situation of losing a senior pastor. But, what makes this one a lot more nerve-wracking for me, challenging, and exhausting is the fact that I am currently the ONLY full-time pastoral staff working in the entire church. And with everything else going on in my life, this makes me very nervous and questioning what exactly God wants from me and my life???
During this challenging time, I have had to continue to meditate on one particular scripture - Malachi 3:6 "I the LORD do not change. "
When we are with Christ, and He is within us, change may still be fearful or uncomfortable, but change can be managed. All of us can glorify God, even when we are exhausted and beaten down by change. In the silence of our response to changing situations in life, we can send our heart and our prayers to God and He will answer. We can ask Christ to use us through every changing circumstance and He will answer. In a world of change and chaos, we have an unchanging and constant friend in Christ.
Lord - PLEASE help me to remember this and hold on to this each and every day! AMEN
Bro, I will keep you in my prayers, I am a young new youth leader and my dad is a Pastor and I know the tough challenges that you face, but I know God will take care of you and your family, I remember hearing my dad say "God will not put you in a situation you can't handle", and I believe that saying is right, I believe that God has placed you at this moment as the only full time pastor at the church for a reason, he knows what he is doing.
I'll be praying for you.
Noah in San Antonio
Posted by: Noah | March 05, 2009 at 11:50 AM