Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Two years and counting in the church plant, and I still love serving at The Crossroads. The first year was exciting. Everything was brand new, we were just getting off the ground. The hardest part of the first year was the labor intensive set up and tear down every weekend with a small team of workers. The second year has been intense in other ways. While the set up and take down is significantly easier at the elementary school, other challenges have arisen. We have dealt with a lot of pain this year, whether broken marriages, difficulty raising kids, or relationship problems with other adults. I have many times wished that I had experience as a counselor and much greater wisdom than I currently possess. The second year has been more exhausting as we try to lead multiple journey groups and create meaningful relationships with new people, all while maintaining a strong marriage and raising 4 kids. The time that we put into the church plant is much greater than it was the first year.
But every Sunday morning when I step up onto the stage, I am grateful for every late night, every early morning, and every weekend dedicated to ministry. When I stand on the stage and watch our people worship, I am awed that I get to be a part of changing lives. It is exciting and rewarding. I love that God has done bigger and better things at The Crossroads than I imagined. My dreams were awesome, but God is bigger than my dreams!
Shawn brought it today as he preached his second sermon in the "God at the Movies" series. He preached about choices, using the movie "Twilight:Eclipse". He talked about the importance of making wise choices based on things like unselfish love and eternal value. He also talked about the importance of recognizing that Christ is the ultimate love of your life. You cannot find complete fulfillment in another being - even a vampire.
Tonight marks the close my busiest summer on record. I am disappointed that I did not have more time with my family, but the money from teaching summer school has definitely come in handy. I had a long list of goals to accomplish, that never happened - learning to play blues, learning to play the guitar, upping my mileage on my runs, writing a couple of Bible studies, painting the living room ..... Nevertheless, school is here, ready or not. I have to get my mind in gear and get prepped for my 22 students! I'd appreciate your prayers as we face a new year, still commuting. Pray that I would use that time wisely to pray with my children and grow them spiritually, to listen to their hearts, and to love them beyond their highest expectations. I would also appreciate your prayers as I go to see a neurologist on Thursday about the nasty bad migraines. I am hopeful that we will find relief, and my life will greatly improve!
I appreciate my readers who make this post a regular stop on their Monday morning. I know that you are busy people with big things to accomplish. However, I am deeply moved that you choose to read my rambling randomness and pray for our family and our ministry. Thank you!
