Thanksgiving

We have much to be thankful for this year. 

First I am thankful for my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  His willingness to obey the Father and come to this earth to die in my place is the greatest blessing in the world.  I am in awe daily of his love for me.

Second we are thankful that Renee's parents are in the presence of the Savior.  Our hearts have a heaviness because we miss their immediate presence, yet we also are rejoicing that they have the blessing of seeing Jesus.  

We are also thankful that God has opened up the door for ministry for us in Portage.  His timing is awesome and too wonderful for words.  When we wait patiently for God's plan he blesses beyond our imagining.  The people at Portage have been so loving and caring that we have the feeling of having God's arms wrapped around us.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name."

We just finished loading the truck.  Praise God!!  Thanks George, Paul, Paul, Bob, Larry, Jim, Web, and Ralph!  Everything is loaded tighter than I thought possible.  It was also done much faster than I thought it could get done.  

We will be leaving in the morning and driving to Portage.  Then we have the privilege of taking everything off the truck and taking it into the house.  We have so many boxes that did not get unpacked when we came to Mom and Dad's house that it will be like Christmas to open them. 

I am looking forward to getting settled in and then I get to preach on Sunday.  

I probably won't get to update this the rest of this week.

Good Friends

Today our Adult Bible Fellowship had a farewell dinner for us. We have enjoyed ministering with them these last three years. It is good to see God's working in lives.

The time that we have spent at Evangel has been wonderful. We came here expecting that it would be a very short time, but God had other plans. He gave us the opportunity to serve here and be ministered to. We have grown richer in our spirits through the years we spent here. We will always remember Evangel and what God is accomplishing in Taylor. We will pray for the ministry here.

Now as we leave Michigan and go on to the ministry that God has prepared for us in Indiana we covet God's blessing on Portage as he blessed the ministry in Taylor.

Anticipation

Today I finished one chapter of my life and I am looking forward to the next chapter. As Renee and I prepare to move to First Baptist Church we have much to be praise God for.

His timing is perfect in the events that he brings into our lives. We have been waiting for nearly four years to find a church to pastor. God kept closing the doors until both of Renee's parents had gone to glory. The very week that Renee's Mom passed we candidated at First Baptist and the next week they voted unanimously for us to become their new pastor.

Since then we have been preparing for the move. Right now the house is in chaos with boxes everywhere. Most of our belongings are packed and ready to load. Soon we will be in Indiana beginning this new ministry.

Today was my last day at the Home Depot. It is sad to leave behind many friends, but it is invigorating to know that I am moving into the place God has prepared for me.