Ministry House (minus the house)
No, we have not bought a house yet. Yes, we are still looking. And thanks - for all who have prayed for this step in our ministry. We felt God confirm our call to buy a house for ministry back in December of 2008, and if you have tracked with us, it's been quite a ride. Over the course of the twenty-one months, Sarah and I have gone through the range of emotions from excitement to despair, joy to anger, jealousy to thankfulness. In the end, we believe that we "heard right" and that God is still leading us in the direction He desires. Of course, we have learned a lot along the way, including the fact that ministry doesn't stop until you "arrive."
I was wrong. Wrong to think that "ministry" would wait until we were "established" in our new house. But this was my mindset - God said move, so we'll move - and everything else, including reaching out to our current neighbors, gets put on hold. Now I recognize my mistake.
Recently, I have been inspired by the story of King David as a young man for his faithfulness in periods of waiting. Even though he was anointed at a young age, years passed before his calling was realized. Yet he was faithful to serve God even in the midst of times of waiting.
God continues to open up new opportunities for ministry right where we live. Our yard (one of the largest in the neighborhood) has become somewhat of a neighborhood playground, with families coming over several times a week to let their kids play. We enjoy blessing families in this way, and have gotten to know several new neighbors. God has allowed us to enter into their lives, know their struggles, and share God's love for them. We are excited for one family in particular, who has begun coming to church and Bible study with us. Praise God that He doesn't wait until we're "ready" before He starts working.
As David wrote in Psalm 37, our role is to "delight...in the Lord," "commit" and "trust" - God is the one who gives us our desires and makes our just cause shine. So yes, we are still looking for a house for ministry. But that doesn't mean that ministry stops.
