The Road Trip ended, and so did the national convention in Oklahoma City--we're back in Alabama, which is home not only for our children, but also for most of our extended family who moved to Alabama over our nearly 13 years of ministry in this state.
The kids have been soaking up love in Decatur, Alabama - reconnecting with friends (especially Alexis) and family, including cousins they had not yet met (born during our absence).
Today, June 29, is our first time to share again with the 6th Avenue congregation as a family. Can you go home again?
It is hard to prepare for this Sunday, maybe harder than any preparation I have made before. So much emotion was experienced last week in Oklahoma City for me, and to contemplate stepping back into a sanctuary and in a fellowship with whom we labored and prayed and cried and dreamed--well, that's even more emotion. I am not sure what I will experience as I hug and greet and reminisce with this faith family. The story of our call and the work we do now, as well as that of Zach & Audrey Langford and several others, is tightly wound around the testimony of this group who learned to "Touch the World for Christ" by embracing the three godly requirements of Micah 6:8 that we summarized as "serve love pray."
We will share about the ministry to which we are engaged now--but we will also share about the past and how that has birthed a present that none of us could have fully imagined back in 2003. One special song in our worship experience during those years was "God of Justice" by Tim Hughes, which includes in the 2nd verse the elements of Micah 6:8.
The kids have been soaking up love in Decatur, Alabama - reconnecting with friends (especially Alexis) and family, including cousins they had not yet met (born during our absence).
Today, June 29, is our first time to share again with the 6th Avenue congregation as a family. Can you go home again?
It is hard to prepare for this Sunday, maybe harder than any preparation I have made before. So much emotion was experienced last week in Oklahoma City for me, and to contemplate stepping back into a sanctuary and in a fellowship with whom we labored and prayed and cried and dreamed--well, that's even more emotion. I am not sure what I will experience as I hug and greet and reminisce with this faith family. The story of our call and the work we do now, as well as that of Zach & Audrey Langford and several others, is tightly wound around the testimony of this group who learned to "Touch the World for Christ" by embracing the three godly requirements of Micah 6:8 that we summarized as "serve love pray."
We will share about the ministry to which we are engaged now--but we will also share about the past and how that has birthed a present that none of us could have fully imagined back in 2003. One special song in our worship experience during those years was "God of Justice" by Tim Hughes, which includes in the 2nd verse the elements of Micah 6:8.
In the next couple weeks, we will be with my parents and family south of Birmingham. On Sunday, July 6, we will be with the Riverchase Community Church, whom we served prior to 6th Avenue, and which has produced such great young leaders as Abby Smith Torgeson (formerly serving the Church of God in Colombia), and Joshua Weiger (recently commissioned with his wife Audrey to serve with us in Three Worlds). Similarly, that will be an emotional visit--we are deeply grateful for the positive relationships that exist in both of these congregations whom we served before this current adventure. We are blessed by each who support us in regular prayer and giving, encouragement and interest in the work of the Lord in the Middle East.
No matter where we go and what we do, we can never forget those who partnered with us and continue in ministry in places that will forever remain dear to our hearts. As we go back into these fellowships, there will be faces missing, dear friends who have moved on themselves to other congregations or communities--and there are dear saints who have gone on to be with the Lord. At 6th Avenue today, I will place a large magnolia bloom on the organ in memory of one of our biggest challengers and cheerleaders, Ms Jane Bradford, who passed away earlier this year; we're all teary at the thought of that empty organ bench today. At RCC, we will miss Sister Peggy Rose, who wonderfully supported us and the youth ministry at RCC in our time there. While we have these moments of homecoming, they will be deeply missed and we look forward to the greater homecoming in which we will see them again, whole and joyful.
We are richly blessed by love and relationships with these whom we will share a few moments today and in the weeks ahead. Thank you Lord for such memories and the bonds of love that continue to bind us together.
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