We were able to reconnect with the couples we spent months with in Elgin, IL during our church planter training. Seeing Ryan and Lauren Hall from Harvest Palos, IL, Jason and Grethel Fevig from Miami, FL and Ted and Lyncey Duncan from Brampton, ON was a delight as it always is (Jacob and Joanna Reaume are expecting their 5th baby! so they couldn't make it). We do a lot of laughing. We delight in sharing stories of what God is doing in our churches, heartaches we're enduring, and opportunities we're considering. I enjoyed having much to share, by God's grace, about all that God is doing at Harvest North Raleigh. 2012 is already a big year for us and more is unfolding, literally everyday. God's mercies are new every morning. He does far more than we can ever ask or think.
Vanessa spent a lot time with the other wives, considering together at "playbook" for Sr. Pastor wives about the realities of church planting ministry. I spent time with the other pastors with James MacDonald hearing much about his upcoming book, Vertical, and getting really excited about all it will offer the church worldwide.
Paul David Tripp, author of Instruments in the Redeemers Hands, preached two fantastic sermons tailor fit for pastors and wives. He preached from 2 Peter 1:3-15 and Hebrews 3:12-13. Some of his words were, "Don't live as if you're poor," "Problems are always sourced in the rulership of hearts," "Your biggest difficulties exist inside of you, not outside," "Jesus is unrelenting in His fight over sin. He loves putting more enemies under His feet (speaking about our personal sin)," "The core of you must be in awe of God," "No one in your life is more influential in your life that you are because you talk to yourself more than anyone else does. What you say to yourself is so important. We are incessant interpreters and naturally for ourselves and not of God." One of the most powerful things he said is that the church must, "Be done with terminally casual relationships." Wow. Enter, small groups.
I even planned our first Mexico City mission trip of 2012 with Pastor Antonio Munoz. Amazingly, we realized that we served in the same church building for 8 months while in Dallas. He was the Associate Pastor of the Spanish church that met there while I was leading the college ministry. We heard the story of their miraculous adopting of their daughter, as well.
Somehow, I convinced Kent Shaw to throw a crouton at Rick Donald during dinner. In typical Indiana Hoosier high-percentage shooting fashion, Kent landed it right in Rick's salad bowl 12 feet away.
It was a great time. We are very thankful for Harvest Bible Fellowship and Harvest Orlando for hosting. Thanks also, mom and dad, for watching Maddie and Luke!