The Many Forms of God's Care

Today (June 1) begins my last month as pastor of small groups and children/families at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

The New Morning Mercies devotional for June 1st has served as a great reminder of what (who) is most important!

God’s care comes in many forms. He cares enough to break your bones in order to capture your heart. 

Please pray that as
  I prepare to hand off ministries that mean so much to me
  Krista, the kids and I work on our house
  Krista and I continue to prayerfully seek God's direction for our next ministry

that our hearts would be captivated by God and His glory and not our circumstances.

During this time it has been amazing to see how God is blessing us through people, His Word and His presence.

There have also been some challenges.

Here are a couple of specific prayer requests related to the three general prayer requests above....

1. Wisdom and direction regarding our house.  We are preparing to put it on the market soon but aren't sure what that means during this transitional time.
2. Wisdom and direction regarding ministry direction.  
• We have heard from several different churches and are prayerfully looking through them.  We also are waiting to hear back from some possibilities and have been informed that some churches are looking at different candidates.  Pray that we would wait on the Lord and His good plan.  
• I am very excited about the opportunity to once again speak at Camp Patmos the week of July 17 - 22.  Pray for my time there and preparation leading up to it.  
3. Wisdom and direction regarding ministry transition at EBC.  
• We have been so blessed to have had the opportunities to encourage and be encouraged by so many different families and individuals at EBC.  We want to finish our time here well for God's glory.  I know this means so much more than giving information about the programs that I had oversight of.  
• Also, prayer for the pastors and the staff of EBC during this transitional time.  

The New Morning Devotional today included Psalm 51 especially verse 8, which is a great Psalm to always remember.

"Let me hear joy and gladness;  let the bones that you have broken rejoice." 

Added on June 8th:
One of my biggest takeaways from this devotional has been that God is the one who brings joy and gladness.  He is also the one who crushes my bones.  It is not circumstances, situations or individuals.  God is the one who is sovereign.