Travel Playlist, 5of16

No pics from yesterday--too much driving. I left Hickory, North Carolina early to get away from their "winter weather advisory" and to try to stay ahead of the rain. I got into Atlanta and had some time to kill so I watched Skyfall at a discount movie theatre there (by the way, I loved how they're rebooting the series in this last 3 installments). I then met Nick Fiedler at Flip Burger Boutique (the original started by a former reality food-competition show contestant -- really, really good and unique burgers). Nick was in the youth group at Riverchase with Josh Weiger, Abby Smith and a few dozen amazing and talented young leaders; Nick was among my first interns and he said he uses the lessons and even material of leadership/personal development that he learned then with the employees he has today! He has traveled around the globe and written a book--of which he gave me a generous autographed copy that I'm eager to read). We have not seen each other in many, many years -- it was a highlight of my trip so far to sit down and share with him and catch up on our lives.

I left Nick and pushed further ahead on the odometer so that I could save hotel fees and see my parents for an additional couple of hours. I arrived late and will leave early in a few moments, but it was worth it--I love my mom and dad (and I got to see my brother Brian, too).

 

I am so excited about today, for several reasons:

1) I get to travel back to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  Just days after graduating from Anderson University, Keli and I loaded up a little moving truck and our Ford Tempo (worst car decision ever) and moved to East Ridge where we served the Scott Memorial Church of God from 1995-1999.  We were youth and Christian education pastors, and loved the relationships we developed in Tennessee and Georgia (the church sits on State Line Road).  It was here that we were thoroughly indoctrinated with SEC football, true BBQ (speaking of which, I may have to get over to Rib-&-Loin), and it was here that Gracelyn was dedicated.  In fact, the Pastor who performed that baby dedication has returned to pastoring the Church again--I'm looking forward to visiting Danny & Linda Pinter Saturday evening before Church on Sunday.

2) I get to visit with Zach and Audrey Langford -- as you know by now, Zach was a part of the 6th Avenue Church of God and heavily involved in our global missions efforts from that ministry.  We have not gotten to spend a lot of time with them since we officiated their wedding ceremony because they quickly left to serve a congregation in Birkenhead, UK -- now, they're preparing to return there as a part of the 3W Team, and we couldn't be prouder.

3) As a bonus, Zach and Audrey are driving up from Birmingham with our former associate pastors, James and Mary Alexander and their son Zion (and there's one on the way, but not-yet named).  I recently wrote about the ministry of James and Mary as they just had an exciting baptism service a couple of Sundays ago.

This will be a fun and emotional day--not "emotional" as in sadness, but in the full-spectrum of emotions: happy, excited, encouraged, humbled, and sad, too.  As I drive back into the beautiful Tennessee River Valley, I will be remembering so much--our family took a couple of vacations in the Chattanooga area so the kids could appreciate the beautiful community that we came to love in our few years there.

I will also have the wide spectrum of emotions as I spend time with Zach and Audrey, and James and Mary.  There is, or at least we feel there should be, a special relationship between those whose lives intersect at moments of calling.  Zach and Audrey are among several that we've been able to help pursue ministry/mission with their lives--whether right or wrong, we have a lot of pride and consider them like spiritual children for whom we would do anything to support and encourage.  From this perspective, all these like Zach and Audrey make us appreciate and resonate with the words of the Apostle John in 3rd-John-4, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."  And, so, for them, Song-A of the day is from the David Crowder Band, "You Are My Joy"...



And Song-B of the day, well that's in honor of James and Mary.  When I met James and Mary, they were nervously hosting me and the 6th Ave BOE Chair as we were interviewing them to be youth pastors.  We drove to them in Oklahoma and wanted to spend some time with them, their friends, and to see them in their own environment.  We also spent hours talking at their house--each of us confessing.  They confessed that they had been putting off jumping into ministry, and we confessed as a church that we couldn't promise them a lot.  We were inviting them to jump, to take a risk with us as we would be taking a risk with them.  6th Avenue is not only blessed today because they took the risks to hire James and Mary, but because James and Mary were encouraged enough to risk with 6th Avenue.  And so, Song-B is also from David Crowder, "How Great," if only for the opening lines that wonderfully convey the emotions and confessions of that evening's conversations in their home:

"I'm so bored of

little gods

while

standing on the edge of

something large,

while standing here so

close to you...

we could be consumed"

We're so thankful for James and Mary and excited to see how God continually leads them and leads through them.


So, a day full of joy and great company: Awesome!