Friday, March 24, 2006

Faith, I think...


So I’ve been asked several times how I’m doing with the uncertainty of knowing what’s next in life, ministry, paying the bills, etc. I’m surprised to say that I’m doing quite well (Jaime too). I’ve started to wonder why I have not been more stressed about this transition, and I’ve come up with a couple thoughts.

Number one is the fact that I know a lot of people are praying for Jaime and I, and I know that makes a difference on a lot of levels.
More subtle is the idea that… I might have more faith than I have before in life. I know me, and I know how stressed I can get when facing the unknown. But after some adventures, and repeatedly experiencing the faithfulness of God, I am slowly changing. I think I just may have a little more of this kind of faith!Going along that line is the perspective I have been growing in for a few years now. I always say “God is my provider” but I was challenged a few years back by a friend to know what that means more intimately… that in fact God provides for me, not the church, or the board, or even my paycheck. God has seen fit to use those things to provide for me – but when that all ends, God is still my provider. Now I find myself seeing that after 4 or 5 years of holding to this “new perspective”, I have actually begun to believe it! Now I work as a sound technician. I know it is not my new job that provides for us financially, or the work of my hands, but God. He sees fit to use this temporary opportunity in his providing, so I will work hard, and honour Him for His provision. He is so faithful!

Saturday, March 18, 2006

New Job

Well it’s not ministry exactly (life is ministry), but I have a new temporary job. I am a technician with a company called Precision Audio. I’m doing electrical work, installing speakers, sound gear, video gear etc. I get paid well, but the job is only for a month or two. It feels good to be doing physical work again. I come home pretty tired. I enjoy working with my hands, my brain, and good tools. I get to do creative problem solving, which is another good thing for me. Plus I am learning lots of stuff from Larry – the pro electrician I work with.

Having spent much time in prayerful reflection… Jaime and I are hoping to find a church to go work in soon. It is our heart to minister with older youth and young adults as mentors. My dream is to spend my time teaching, speaking, and developing students to become ministers. I hope to work in a close staff situation that would allow me to pour into a younger youth pastor. Both Jaime and I enjoy counselling opportunities. Especially meeting one on one, over a cup of coffee with those students who are passionate about God. I feel called to the church, as weird as that sounds. While I am thrilled when a person comes to Christ for the first time, my heart aches for the bride of Christ to become less religious and more relevant to our world.
Having said that… we are ready to go wherever, and do whatever the King asks of us. So we’ll see what happens. God is so faithful!