Celebrating & Moving Forward

Our Tres Dias weekend retreat was simply amazing. Of course, that was expected. There's something about this setting that allows people to connect with God in a fresh, intimate way. Serving as one of the three Spiritual Directors for the men's weekend gave me the extraordinary honor of watching God at work. The outpouring of love and grace, the heroic servant's heart of the entire team, the transparency and bonding between brothers, and the healing and renewal of tired and broken hearts... it was incredible. There were several times when I had the opportunity to connect with one of the men in an important way, and the sense of God's Spirit stepping in and taking over was so tangible. I told Margo that I felt a bit like a glove, with the Lord's hand filling me and directing me.

Meanwhile, Hope went through its "exodus" weekend. I am so grateful for Paul Patti coming, sharing, and shepherding on this important day. I've heard from many people what a great experience it was. The Youth Band really blew people away with an incredible time of worship. And when it was all done, the entire church pitched in to pack things, move them to the staging area, and get it all loaded up. It sounds like everyone had a real "whatever it takes" attitude (yay!), so we're off to a great start on the adventure ahead.

Starting this week, we'll be meeting at the Fauquier County Fairgrounds on Sunday mornings. It's a temporary setting wile we continue to look for something more enduring -- probably one of a couple of warehouses that we can build out to suit our needs. In a sense, we're like the Hebrews after their own exodus. They had left the only place they had ever known as home, and were heading toward a place of blessing that God had prepared for them. But, in the meantime, they wandered through the wilderness learning important lessons to prepare them for what was ahead. Here's hoping that we have greater patience and optimism than they did, and we don't end up complaining and wishing for those leeks and onions back at the Nile.

I'm really excited about this coming Sunday, because I get to share a message that I've had stirring around in my heart for many, many years. It's just not something that I've ever had the occassion to preach before, but this is definitely the moment. I don't think I've ever looked forward to a sermon in over 20 years of ministry as much as I'm looking forward to this week. Of course, what is actually shared may not mean as much to everyone else; God may be saying something especially important to my own heart. But it'll be fun to share.

And in the midst of heading to Tres Dias and seeing our church through its exodus weekend, Margo celebrated her birthday. I was able to take the day off and we simply spent it together as a family. It was wonderful! From coffee at Starbucks while the kids were at a class, to a drive through the countryside on a gorgeous Spring day, to watching the birds discover her new feeder, to grabbing a treat at Carousel (we're so glad it's open for the season again!), we had a great time. I am so thankful that God has brought my terrific, beautiful, talented, organized, selfless wife into my life.