Risk...

Today my friend Trevor sent me a text to listen to truthforlife.org with Alistair Begg. It was all about Ecclesiastes 11. Verse 4 says, "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every could, they never harvest." Verse 5 goes on to say that we cannot understand the activity of God.

Begg quotes Julius Caesar who says, "There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads onto greatness but if you miss the tide you're going to be paddling out there for a long time waiting for the next wave."

Waves don't come along all that often...not the kind that will rush you off into a whole new opportunity. If you constantly sit waiting, watching, wondering, analyzing, doing all the pros and the cons and the ups and the downs, you'll be sitting there until the day you die. Of course, it's good to do that but you can't let it paralyze you.

Ephesian 5:16-17 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

It's not an ideal time for me. It's not ideal to quit two amazing jobs in a time where people are loosing their jobs. But if I don't go, where will I be years down the road...farther behind. I can't watch the clouds...or I'll never harvest. Don't wait for ideal conditions...there are no ideal conditions!

With this being said...I turned in my letter of intent saying that I would not return to school next year. Ecclesiastes 11:1 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.

To sign or not to sign...

I've been seeking wise counsel about the decision of signing a contract for next year or not. I met with Pastor Chuck and he explained to me that God doesn't always want us to go directly from point A to point B. We may be on our way to point B when God causes us to go in a zig zag. But sometimes in moving towards point B we end up where God wants us to be. He reminded me that if I didn't end up raising all my support and serving in Vienna it wasn't the end of the world. In fact, that might be how He gets me where I'm suppsed to be. He asked me where my heart was and I told him serving the Lord. He asked me why I was so scared of not signing the contract and I told him I was scared of not having a job next year if I didn't raise all my support. He then asked what I loved more, job security or serving the Lord. Am I more in love with my job or Jesus?

After this meeting, I talked to a retired missionary from my church on the phone. He told me they had a missions meeting where one of the elders talked about his cell phone. Having a cell phone was convenient, he could call people on his way home from work, and people could get a hold of him on the golf course. However, it cost him $65 a month and he thought about how much that would benefit a missionary. Then another elder talked about how he had cable and he wasn't sure how much TV God wanted them to watch anyway. And he, too, wondered what that money would do for a missionary. This really encouraged me and showed me that God could bring in the money in ways I never dreamed of!

It was after much thought and lots of prayer, that I have decided not to sign my contract here at Lewis Central. I'm moving towards Vienna and if He chooses not to bring in the support, I'll be interested to see what He has for me next. I'm putting my total trust in Him. Jesus has my heart; and I'm going to serve Him wherever He leads me.

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Missions Festival

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was our church's missions festival as well as one of the worst snow storms we've had all year. Ha! Reesa and I set up a booth and shared with those who were brave enough to face the ice.

Many were excited to hear about our future ministry at Vienna Christian School. But not only that, many people were supportive about my situation at work and a sweet couple prayed with me as I still face the decision of what to do about next year.

The disciples were out fishing and not having much luck when Jesus says, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish." and Simon says, We've got fish folks! Soon, both boats were filled with fish. Is Jesus asking me to drop my nets in Vienna.

Luke 5:11 says, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people! as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus." Jesus comes right where we are and invites us to follow Him. Jesus calls us to not be afraid. They left everything.

My delima is knowing the difference between stepping out in faith (leaving everything) and being a good steward of what God has given me. I have two wonderful jobs and am at 25% of my monthly support. Honestly, I am scared. Each day at work I am faced with the question of what I have decided. Please pray for wisdom!