Saying Goodbye...

As of today May 28th, 2007, I am no longer the lead pastor of Living Springs Church. It is still a bit surreal to me but it's my new reality. Even in the midst of packing up our house to move to a new city I find myself longing to be in my office reading or preparing a sermon. It's odd, this way I feel. I'm not sure how to express the emotions I feel inside. On the one hand I'm so incredibly excited about moving to Dickinson, Texas to begin working in this new church plant and then on the other hand I'm incredibly sad to see nine and a half years of pastoring this wonderful congregation of people come to an end. Nothing has changed yet everything has changed. I'm torn on the inside. However, I'm certain of God's call to Dickinson.

Yesterday was our farewell service. I don't think I've ever had a more difficult time speaking than when I was saying goodbye to my church. I fear I didn't properly express my sincerest feelings of love I have for them. I hope they heard my heart through my broken words.

Also, yesterday afternoon we had a dedication service. My board of advisors requested that I dedicate our new building before I leave. It was such a high honor to dedicate to God's work the wonderful building that he gave us to worship in. So much ministry is now happening and taking place that we were never able to do before God allowed us to build. I'll forever be grateful for God's direction in that. It was a wonderful dedication and farewell service. The people were kind, thoughtful and sincere in their expression of love for me and my family.

So, Friday we're leaving town with our Uhaul fully packed and ready to go we head off to our new assignment, Dickinson, Texas. I'm not afraid. I'm excited. I've seen the hand of God move so wonderfully in Bandera that I'm certain this new mission will prove to be a testament to God's goodness again. Our first Sunday will be June 17th. When we leave Bandera on the 1st of June, we'll be headed toward Dickinson and we'll arrive that night to begin unloading the Uhaul. Sunday the 3rd I'm scheduled to stop by a dear friends church in Beaumont, Texas to preach on our way to spend a couple of weeks with my folks in Alabama. After a short vacation/rejuvenation, we'll arrive back in Dickinson ready to begin work!

I'll be without an Internet connection for several weeks during the move and transition time but once we get settled in I'll be blogging on all that God is doing in our new work and lives. Pray for us and the wonderful people of both Living Springs and Dickinson (Bayou Community Church).

See ya in a few weeks!

Peace...

Reality is setting in...

I took one and my wife took the other. We had to split up yesterday as Chase had T-ball practice at one place and Grace had softball practice at another. I was with Grace at hers when my wife calls me and says, "There's a surprise for you when you get home". I didn't have a clue what it could be. I still had about 30 minutes left at Grace's practice so I forgot about the "surprise". When I get home and pull into my drive way I saw it..."FOR RENT". Yes, there was a for rent sign in the front yard of the home that I had rented for the past 8.5 years. You see, we're moving. Big deal huh? Well, it is to us.

We're moving to a city just southeast of Houston about 28 miles to begin pastoring a new church plant. We're very excited about this new season that God is bringing us into but so many things have been going on in the last 2 months that I forgot to tell myself that we're going to be moving...I mean, I knew that we were but when I drove into my driveway yesterday evening, it was all too clear and reality really set in. "FOR RENT" seemed to jump off that sign as if to say, "GET OUT"! This is the home that we began our family with children 8 years ago. On the back of the house I built a 400sq. ft. deck so we could celebrate Grace's first birthday with family and friends. Now, 8 years later my two children have their teeter-totter set up on it and we still enjoy it out there. My kids both learned how to ride their bicycles in the street just a couple of feet from where the sign is methodically placed. I'm going to miss this house but we'll carry with us the many wonderful memories of our happy family.

Sunday, I'll be announcing to our church at Living Springs that we're resigning. It's going to be incredibly difficult to do! I'll post more about this later and the new work that God is calling us into. Stay tuned!

This will make a grown man cry...

I certainly don't pretend to know all that is going on in Iraq but of this one thing I'm sure, Mommys and Daddys are called away from their children for the sake of defending liberty and it's a sad day in America when we forget the sacrifices they make. Whether we agree with the war in Iraq or not, we must be thankful for the men and women who defend our freedoms while putting themselves at grave risk. God bless our Troops and God bless America!