Category: Uncategorized

Sabbatical

Screenshot 2018-05-22 at 2.03.49 PMI will be on Sabbatical from June 1 until August 31.
Here are some questions I get asked when folks learn I will be taking a Sabbatical:
What will you be doing on your Sabbatical?
I will be resting, reading, and reflecting.
The first part of my Sabbatical will be to practice Sabbath – a cessation from the normal routines of preaching and leading. After a couple of weeks to adjust to a new pattern, I will be in Virginia to read. The main goal is to read and research about creating a culture of discipleship and being more effective with reaching the Boomers and retirees with the good news of Jesus Christ. Finally, I will spend August in Thailand as I reflect on the next season of ministry here at the Little Church on the Prairie and Lakewood Grace.
Why Virginia?
I went to seminary in Richmond, VA. I will be staying close enough to the seminary where I can spend most my days either at the seminary library or a cafe near by. Libraries and cafes are some of my favorite places to read.
Why Thailand?
When I was looking at places to go for the last portion of the Sabbatical, there were several criteria:
1. A place with good public transport so I would not need to rent a car
2. A place where there were lots of cafes within walking distance
3. A place that’s cheap!
There were several places that popped up, but I chose to go with Thailand because it was so cheap.
I will be praying for you and the Little Church and Lakewood Grace. I will be thinking of you quite often. I will post blogs up regularly on things I am experiencing. You can find a link to my blog on the Little Church’s web page www.lcop.ws.
Remember to pray for me, and I look forward to being back in the saddle September 1.
Blessings!
Pastor James <><

It’s All Junk

Screen Shot 2018-04-25 at 1.49.39 PM.png

We moved….again.

In a matter of months, all the girls will have moved out of the house and it will be just Helen, Kaleb, and me. We wanted to downsize.

As we have worked on getting the house ready to move, it is astonishing to me how much junk we have.

Junk.

We have:

  • nice junk,
  • expensive junk,
  • junky junk,
  • cheap junk,
  • junk no one would ever want,
  • junk we donated,
  • junk we gave away,
  • junk we haven’t used in years,
  • junk we only use once every couple of years
  • really nice junk

There are some treasures in the house. But the treasures are only treasures for me and my family.

Treasures:

  • Pictures of my family, drawings and small knick-knacks kids made when they were little
  • T-shirts from different vacations, trips, and events that have special meaning for me and my family
  • The heart pillow I got after my open heart by-pass surgery
  • My high school football jersey. It’s tattered, numbers are falling off. No one would ever want it, but I treasure it

But, here’s the thing about all the junk and the treasures: all of it will one day end up in the junk yard with all the other junk and “treasures”.

Every junk yard contains junk and treasures that people have fought over, divorced over, stolen, spent overtime working to pay for over. There is some junk that people have even killed over.

But it’s all there.

All of it.

All of it ends up in the junk yard.

Life is more than the accumulation of junk.

The sooner we learn that the sooner we will start truly living.

God’s Will for Your Life is Bigger

Screen Shot 2018-04-24 at 2.57.48 PM.pngGod’s plan for my life…

What is God’s plan and purpose for my life?

When most of us ask this question, we’re wondering things like:

  • Who am I to marry?
  • What am I being called to do (career)?
  • Where am I supposed to live?
  • Shall I stay? Shall I move?

I don’t know what God’s plan for your life is. That’s between you and God. However, I can tell you with absolute certainty that God’s plan for your life is always greater than your life.

Whatever you think God is telling you only impacts you, that’s rarely God. These things are most likely things we desire. It reveals more of what we want for ourselves than really seeking God and his will.

God’s will for your life will always include you, but the impact and the blessing will always be so much greater than you. God plans to use you and me to be a blessing to his kingdom.

God’s will for your life is always bigger than you and me!

And that’s a great thing!