my day off

I decided to write at the beginning of my day off instead of part way or all the way through it for a change.  As I write I see my yard outlined in snow with grass peeking through in the center of the yard.

I feel like that today.  When I woke up Crossroads was heavy on my heart.  I feel like we're peeking out of the greatest change our church has yet known, the loss of Pastor Tim and his family.

Sensing my struggle Vern emerged from the bedroom and crawled up beside me - some things never change!

I'm planning on spending some uninterrupted time today praying for our next pastor.  We need him.  We will be planning an all night prayer/scripture reading vigil at Crossroads soon, I may just camp out there for several days - this will be a really blessed time of prayer and our congregation coming together.

I'm praying that even now our next pastor senses an unrest in his spirit that prepares his heart to move from where he is, but that the transition is as healthy a transition as Pastor Tim's.  I pray we won't take a pastor who's church will fall apart with him gone.  That's actually a sign of a bad leader.

On the other hand, the fact that the day to day work and even tons of new events and opportunities are going to happen this summer with Pastor Tim gone is a testimony to good leadership!  Our congregation has carefully chosen an amazingly strong Elder board and we have a strong staff!  In addition to that our congregation is the most willing to serve and care for our ministry that I have ever seen!

Now all we have to do is go to the Lord with our request for the man He wants Crossroads to have.  (after all, He already has that man chosen!)  I can't think of a better way to spend 'my day off' than this. PLEASE set some dedicated time away from everything today and PRAY!