Beth and I were talking today about how God had protected us from so many things over the years. When I think back to how we wound up in Greensboro NC, it all boils down to protecting. When I think back to my childhood and how I was through so much with my family issues, I think about how God protected me. When I think back to my teenage years and just how dumb I was and how God literally and supernaturally didn't allow me to make some very bad decisions, I think about his protection.
Psalm 32 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
My senior year of college I felt a calling to ministry, it was very strong. After going a while I finally submitted to the fact that God wanted me to do his work full time. Steve (Beth's Dad) had recommended me to be a youth pastor at his church and the board interviewed us along with another couple. Being the pastors son-in-law, I thought for sure that we had the job, plus the other guy was a total tool from Colorado. Can you believe that I did not get the job. (Protection)
After that experience, I really began to doubt the thought that I was to be in ministry. We actually then made a decision to move to Greensboro to pursue a better quality of life. Boston was just to expensive, and I had an opportunity to get a great job, buy a new house, and live a quality of life that most 22 year old's just don't get to live. At this time, I thought that God's call on me was to make as much money as possible, go to church, and live very comfortably.
(Protection)
Then we began to go to Daystar and God started to put some amazing men in my life. I will never forget my conversation w/ Allen at Laddies and Dukes when he told me that "God will often give you a vision and then take it away from you because your time is not up yet." In that moment, God spoke to me and I knew that was what he did. My time wasn't up yet and the vision was gone, but all of the sudden after that conversation, the vision was back.
(Protection)
Now here we are 3 years after that conversation. I am in a place that I would have never imagined. I am beginning to understand church like I never knew it, I have been close to men who have mentored me and spoke truth into my life, I understand the value of my bible, I am able to hear God like most will never know, my marriage is stringer than ever before, the list goes on and on.
(Protection)
I am fully convinced that God brought us to Greensboro in order to equip us to go back and do all that we have learned. Had we not gone to Greensboro i would never have been exposed to all that has so drastically changed me.
(Protection)
I would probably be emergent and considered my bible unclear, I would have been fundamental in my style and thought that Church was about me and my needs; I would have been following all the right christian rules, but have no idea how to know God; I would have never known of the amazing worship music that is out there; I would have no idea about how to reach people for Jesus; or a passion to see lived truly changed; I would never have know how the Word of God is the source of all things and the primary way that Jesus chooses to speak to us. I would never have had the experience of preaching in front of hundreds of people; I would never known the importance of accountability; I would have never had the desire to study doctrine and theology in order to understand why I believe what I believe; I would have never had built relationships with the men that will walk with me for the rest of my life. I just know that things would be so different for me.
(Protection)
Praise to God for being my strong tower, for protecting me from evil. How awesome it is that when we have no idea what God is doing in our lives, we can later look back and see he was just protecting us from ourselves.
(Protection)
Psalm 32 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
My senior year of college I felt a calling to ministry, it was very strong. After going a while I finally submitted to the fact that God wanted me to do his work full time. Steve (Beth's Dad) had recommended me to be a youth pastor at his church and the board interviewed us along with another couple. Being the pastors son-in-law, I thought for sure that we had the job, plus the other guy was a total tool from Colorado. Can you believe that I did not get the job. (Protection)
After that experience, I really began to doubt the thought that I was to be in ministry. We actually then made a decision to move to Greensboro to pursue a better quality of life. Boston was just to expensive, and I had an opportunity to get a great job, buy a new house, and live a quality of life that most 22 year old's just don't get to live. At this time, I thought that God's call on me was to make as much money as possible, go to church, and live very comfortably.
(Protection)
Then we began to go to Daystar and God started to put some amazing men in my life. I will never forget my conversation w/ Allen at Laddies and Dukes when he told me that "God will often give you a vision and then take it away from you because your time is not up yet." In that moment, God spoke to me and I knew that was what he did. My time wasn't up yet and the vision was gone, but all of the sudden after that conversation, the vision was back.
(Protection)
Now here we are 3 years after that conversation. I am in a place that I would have never imagined. I am beginning to understand church like I never knew it, I have been close to men who have mentored me and spoke truth into my life, I understand the value of my bible, I am able to hear God like most will never know, my marriage is stringer than ever before, the list goes on and on.
(Protection)
I am fully convinced that God brought us to Greensboro in order to equip us to go back and do all that we have learned. Had we not gone to Greensboro i would never have been exposed to all that has so drastically changed me.
(Protection)
I would probably be emergent and considered my bible unclear, I would have been fundamental in my style and thought that Church was about me and my needs; I would have been following all the right christian rules, but have no idea how to know God; I would have never known of the amazing worship music that is out there; I would have no idea about how to reach people for Jesus; or a passion to see lived truly changed; I would never have know how the Word of God is the source of all things and the primary way that Jesus chooses to speak to us. I would never have had the experience of preaching in front of hundreds of people; I would never known the importance of accountability; I would have never had the desire to study doctrine and theology in order to understand why I believe what I believe; I would have never had built relationships with the men that will walk with me for the rest of my life. I just know that things would be so different for me.
(Protection)
Praise to God for being my strong tower, for protecting me from evil. How awesome it is that when we have no idea what God is doing in our lives, we can later look back and see he was just protecting us from ourselves.
(Protection)
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