A Week in GA

I have spent the last week in Georgia with Kellie getting her ready for school and getting myself ready to move.  I went to the Drivers Licence office and got my new Georgia D.L. That was stranger than I thought it would be, good but strange.  I guess it was just a final step.  I had a wonderful interview with a Church in the area and am excited to see what the Lord will do with me.  I even got my Kroger's plus card and book club card from the local book store.  Now I know I have moved. 

Kellie and I are going to check out a Church this morning I believe the Spirit is going to move on the people and I want to be in that group.  I've had a great time with the family.  We have cooked out and gone to the pool together.  These are things that I haven't got to do with them since I left home when I was 18.  This will be the first time in 25 years that have lived around the family.  I am so excited for that.  I got the house bug while I was here.  There are so many amazing deals on homes right now, it is a bit overwhelming.  I believe God is pointing me to the right one.  Tonight we are supposed to go and look which should be a fun time (if you like that sort of thing). 

With all of the move, my mind is still on Borger and the last bit of details that need to be worked out there.  I have a few more messages to preach as we make the transition from me to Pastor Shawn, and I am excited to preach them.  The Ukraine trip is the last big deal with the team in Borger.  We will be flying out on the 9th of August and returning home on the 27th.  Kim and I are teaching a marriage retreat for the last week of the Trip.

I'm trying hard to stay focused on the tasks at hand.  It is hard to believe that I won't just be visiting here anymore.  In some ways it changes the dinamics of the things you do and the things you say, knowing that these are the people you are now going to live and work with; all of which is healthy.  I hope and pray that everyone has a great time in the house of the Lord today.  I know Scott Cooper will do a fantastic job in the pulpit at Fellowship.  As we say here in Georgia, "Come On Wid It." :)

Let the Lord Guide your Steps

When a person has a stable job in an environment where people love him and he turns in his resignation with no job lined up, people will think that you're crazy.  The only time this would make any since to some would be when God himself comes down and says it time for you to move.  This has happened to me several times now in my journey with the Lord and I am in the midst of one of those times now.

I'm at Signing Hills Youth Camp this week with the young people and it is such a wonderful place for me.  I grew up coming to the camp since I was in Jr. High.  Yesterday, Kim and I were walking around the grounds and I was showing her the trees that I have cried under when I was moved by the Lord in different times in my life.  I preached my first sermon for for a preaching competition here at the camp.  I won awards here.  I was playing basketball on the court one year slipped on the rocks and my shorts turned to shreds.  Pretty funny when there's girls all around and you're 15.  I received my first kiss here from a girl named Kim (not my wife).    I worked up here for a summer after I graduated High School (one of the best summers of my life).  And on this day, June 18th, 24 years ago, I met Kim Umholtz here, my bride for the past 22 years.

Chris Ruzicka is the camp speaker this year.  He served as my associate at Fellowship for 8 years has we were setting the direction and vision of the Church.  He and I were sitting in the counselor's meeting just as proud parents watching the people that we trained not need us anymore.  They got it.  They understand it.  They can do it.  I realized while I was sitting there that it didn't matter if I was there or not.  I have no responsibilities and no one is asking me questions.  This didn't hurt my feeling but rather excited me to no end.  They got this!

While the kids were praising I took a stroll on the nature walk behind the camp.  I have been asking the Lord to guide my steps through this move and he have been faithful to do so.  There is an opportunity that presented itself in Atlanta that I am feeling good about pursuing.  I don't know all the details yet and I'm not sure if it will turn into anything at all but I know God is in control.  As I walked I just shared with Him again how important it is for me that he guide my steps.  I don't want to scramble around trying to make something happen.  That has been my M.O. in the past and I have learned that I just get in the way and muddy the waters of His will.  No, I just want to here from the Lord and follow his command.  His Word promises me that when I put my trust in him that He will direct my path.  These are exciting times in my life.  I feel closer to the Lord than I have in years.  I feel as if I have been born again, "again."  I guess what I'm trying to say is, "My spirit is renewed."  

The Long Trip Home

Have you ever noticed when you go on vacation that the trip home seems a lot longer than the trip going.  I think it is because of the anticipation one feels when you are going to a new place or going to do something different and exciting.  Home is just that; it's home.  You know what it looks like you know what you are going to do and the people you are going to see. 

I started this morning drinking coffee at Panara Bread with my pastor Jeff Adams.  I have had two pastors in my life that have helped to mold, shape, and guide me.  The first was John Gross the pastor of North Park Baptist Church in Humble, Texas where I grew up.  I was saved and called to preach under his ministry and leadership.  Brother Gross gave me a heart for people and the desire to reproduce myself.  The second has been Jeff Adams the pastor of Graceway in Raytown, Missiouri.  Jeff taught me how to study my Bible and join God in his mission of reconciling the world unto Himself.  Both of these men are invaluable to me not only for the past for also for my future.  Jeff has one of the greatest missions minds that I know, and I know God is calling me to do greater things in the way of missions around the world.  It was good to share with my pastor and friend all that God is doing in my life.  He has been suggesting that I take the Perspectives class for about a year, but it hasn't been offered anywhere near Borger or Amarillo for that matter.  So I was excited to learn that there are 4 classes that will be offered in Atlanta at the beginning of next year. I will be sure to grab that class as soon as I can.

After the wonderful time with Jeff, we packed up and loaded up for the long trip home.  I spent a moment assuring Kim's Mom that I would make every effort for her to see her little girl as much as possible.  I tried to explain that it's actually easier and cheaper to get a flight from Atlanta than Amarillo but I don't think I was doing much good.  It will be a "show me don't tell me" kind of thing. 

I decided on the way home that I would drive Kellie to Atlanta on the 24th instead of fly so that we can pack as much of her things as possible and take the dog to Mom's.  She has graciously decided to watch Zach (we named him Zaccheaus because he is just a wee little man) while we are in Ukraine.  So Kellie and I will take off on our first adventure in Atlanta of enrolling her in her new high school.  I will also take advantage of getting my Georgia licence, and storage building and the like while I'm there.

We pulled into town and the girls all had somewhere to go and someone to see.  They are teens: what do you expect.  So, we dropped them all off and Kim and I grabbed a subway sandwich and headed to the apt.  We sold our kitchen table so we ate on our coffee table that rises to serve as a tv tray (if you've seen one you know what I'm talking about).  Then we unpacked and continued getting this place livable for the next month.  Now it time to retire before the rat race starts in the morning.  I have mixed emotions about it, but it really doesn't matter.  There are still things that must be done for the Church, the Kingdom, and the Sizemore's that will not wait another day.