Getting to Normal

Ok, it's a funny pun.

We're here: Normal, Illinois. The start of something new. We're very excited. We had a great trip and arrived last night. This morning is our first contact with The Vineyard, officially. We were told, "everything is in place for you," so it's cool that they worked so hard to pull stuff together for us.

It's a bad pun, but today really is the first day of the rest of our lives. In the natural, this all looks very foolish. But God is bigger than our presuppositions. We have done something that I've not done for years...we have stepped out on faith into the unknown. But it's the unknown that really keeps us hanging on to God.

So, we put this day...and the next several...into God's hands. He's going to have to pull this together if it's going to happen. AJ has talked to some of his contacts about money for a house, so we'll see how that goes. I'm sure Walt has some other leads. And I'm very optimistic about meeting with Dan Moission. Even if it doesn't result in a job with his company, I think it will result in an invaluable contact that will lead to a job.

Ultimately, God is leading us into our future.

And I'm the happiest I've been for at least 5 years. That *has* to count for something.

More later...

Shaking

"See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." Hebrews 12:25-28, ESV

I think I know what's going on.

First, a little background. I alluded a couple of days ago to the fact that there may be some major changes afoot. We've been invited to come be a part of a Vineyard church in Urbana, IL. I don't want to get into conjecture regarding what our role there may be, as the Lord has not revealed His plans completely. We're going to check it out in person, and then make our final decision. But I have to tell you, I've experienced more trepidation regarding this situation than I care to admit. I long for the days when I was younger and resolute. I was so decisive then.

But that was before a family...you know, back when I knew it all.

Anyway, the long and short of it is this: it came to me today when I was reading Alexander Venter's "Doing Church" (great book...). He began to speak of the verse above, of how God is shaking things within the church so that only that which cannot be shaken will remain.

I had an epiphany.

That's what He's doing to me. I've been so uptight over this process of the last couple of years, especially the last year. Now I realize that it was all because God was shaking me--shaking out all the moveable junk so that only what was immoveable remained.

My means of controlling the world around me: shaken away (kids will do that).
My pride: shaken away (did I mention I have kids?).
My position: shaken away (fortunately, I'm willingly letting it go for the Kingdom).
My security in the future: shaken away. (I have only God.)

So, we are headed off to Urbana soon. And when we return, we will know...at least where our future will be.

Testing PocketBlogger

It's time to start blogging again. I'll write more later, but major changes are afoot. In fact, after a couple of months, I may actually be able to keep this blog updated.

I'll sum it up this way. It looks as though a long-time dream of mine may be coming to pass. I'm scared as can be, as the whole situation is...well...uncomfortable. But I believe that God is in it. My wife agrees. That means it's ex-cathedra, right? ;) More later...I'm just testing PocketBlogger now to see if I can do remote posting.