uncertain future

I'm sure this time away from work and school has had a different meaning to everyone, but for me, God's driven home that fact that the future is uncertain.  Certainly not something we should put any trust in!

It's not something I haven't known, but perhaps something I haven't believed?

My job has always required that I'm focused on what's next - future plans for Crossroads.  I rarely even think about what's currently happening at Crossroads except for evaluating events and the current services and attending of course.  Even while I'm home I'm looking ahead at our next trips, and guests and plans...wake up call - spend more time focused on what you know is sure, this day that God has given me.

My desire is to live 'sold-out' to the Lord, and while the things I'm involved in around me aren't wrong, they're what I put first a lot of days.  All you have to do is look at what takes up my time each day and it doesn't take long to realize just how pre-occupied I am with stuff.

Based on what my life sometimes looks like you can tell I assume nothing's going to change, like the future is certain just the way it is.

This disruption has been a wake-up-call for me personally.  I don't know if we'll go through as bad a time as other countries have before the rate of sickness slows down, but I think for another few weeks we need to assume it will and take FULL advantage of focused time with God and family and "stay in".

When have we ever had a bigger opportunity to be home?  To create a new routine with priorities where they should be.  Not giving the Lord a little more time out of our day - as if that's doing Him a favor...but by building our day with time for Him truly being central to all I do.

Pastor Wendell just shared an article with the executive team that contained this quote:

“While the world around us is filled with fear and uncertainty, this is our opportunity to shine like lights in the darkness. We can be a community of people with calm hearts like the sea, a community that has listened to His voice and announces His great power and infinite love to the world.”

Isn't it mind-blowing that God can use us even just by staying calm??  A calm spirit proves to those worried around us that we really believe that God is in control!

May we understand that just as Pastor Dave is teaching this weekend in Joseph's life, He's already got  the future totally laid out, and He knows exactly what needs to happen to get us there!

betrayed

I've been working on Christmas@Crossroads this week.

I am once again feeling privileged beyond my dreams to be able to take pieces and parts and form the skeleton of what the services will become with everyone's contributions and surrounded by prayer.

In searching the web for all the latest ideas and gadgets and bells and whistles I found myself in tears watching the simplest of things.

I Love this drawing

One short drama I watched was of actors portraying the experience of Mary being told by an angel that she was with child, and not only pregnant without intimate relationship, but carrying the long awaited Savior of the world.

The actress portrayed beautifully the innocence of a young girl being told SHE was the chosen mother of the Savior.

Her belief and trust in the Lord had to be HUGE.  Amazing!

Then the actor that played Joseph was told by Mary she was pregnant.  He cried, felt completely betrayed, probably accused her of being unfaithful, and moved from utter disbelief to horror and again burst into tears and left.

It was the first time I've ever really thought about how betrayed Joseph must have felt.  He thought he'd just lost his promised wife to another man, he knew what a pregnancy out of wedlock would mean for Mary, and he loved her.  Even in his deepest moments of feeling betrayed, he loved her which caused a deep pain the likes of which I've never known.

And then Joseph's suspicion of betrayal was erased as an angel of the Lord told him not to hesitate to take Mary for his wife.  And that he had been chosen to be the Savior's earthly father, can you imagine?

Would you believe that kind of message?

These were normal human beings chosen to be used of God in a supernatural way that only He could orchestrate.  Almighty God had to reduce His only son to that of a human to save His creation.

Now to somehow communicate that message to our congregation...

It will of course only happen with that same divine help from the God of the Universe who is still reaching out to his fallen creation.

Please pray for us!

ongoing Rebecca blog today

We are ready and waiting for Rebecca St. James team to arrive! Anytime now...

My trusty assistant Joseph is trying to get me rocked on Starbucks - based on the picture I'd say it's working!

Stay tuned for constant updates today!