A Strange Weekend

This weekend we are in southwestern Michigan and it is strange - not southwestern Michigan but rather our plans this weekend.

It started with a Friday night going away event for our friends Scott and Jenn Miedema.  It seems to strange to say this but Scott and I met over 20 years ago.  We were in each other's weddings and while we don't see each other very much he has been a blessing to me.  So when we heard they were heading back to the Dominican Republic, we wanted to see them.

After deciding to do this I connected with a possible ministry opportunity out here.  So we coordinated an informal visit and then a week ago we heard about another possibility out here.  To clarify, we are visiting these two churches as visitors with no commitments or candida ting.

Here is what I want to take the rest of the time to write about.

During this transitional time from our ministry at Emmanuel Baptist Church, it is very strange, good but strange, being here meeting with people from our past ministry while thinking about and considering future ministry opportunities.

God has worked in so many

   Amazing 

   Strange 

   Difficult 

   Great

   Amazing

   Challenging 

ways.

As I think back on my first Sunday in the Dominican Republic, I tried to find where the rest of the school teachers were meeting for an English service.  I got so lost using public transportation in a Spanish speaking country.  Eventually I decided to go back to my apartment where I cried the whole morning wondering what in the world I was doing in that place.  Over time I made many great friends, met my wife and lived there 8 years.

Fast-forward to tomorrow, Krista and I, along with Joel, Josiah and Jadyn, are visiting two churches as we begin the next phase of our journey with God guiding us.  

I am praying that I don't get lost.

I am thankful I understand the language.

I am not planning to go back to a lonely apartment to cry.

I recently came across a book called Detours by Tony Evans.  I read it in a day and I know God provided it as an encouragement for me personally even though I picked it up as a resource for my Camp Patmos messages.

Here is the link to the Detours website with quotes and a video

http://www.detoursbook.com/  

Throughout this weekend,

Throughout this past year,

Throughout my life, 

God has provided so many different things in so many different ways.

I will post more about this crazy weekend tomorrow, if we have electricity.

But that is a story for tomorrow.

Some prayer requests:

Pray for good church visits tomorrow.

Pray for discernment as we begin to focus in on some specific ministry opportunities.  If it is the Lord's will we would really like to begin settling on one ministry before the start of the school for the kids' sake. 

Pray for Emmanuel baptist Church.  I have been working with other pastors on transition stuff.  

Pray for Krista.  She has ear surgery on Thursday to fix a hole in her eardrum.