A Wild Ride

Imagine your plane has just taken off, then 30 seconds later you hear a "thud." You begin to lose altitude and fear for your life. Suddenly you start climbing again ... only to hear another "thud" and start descending again. About the time you're sure you messed your drawers the plane starts leveling out. By this time you're not sure what will happen next. 

This is how one pastor described church planting. A wild ride, to say the least. The first 7 weeks of our newest worship site has proved to be no exception. People showing up? Check. People disappearing? Check. People catching the vision quickly? Check. People second guessing it all? Check. Wanting to scream is common ... sometimes from joy, sometimes from frustration. That's just par for the course in church planting. So how have I responded to the ups and downs?

Well ... it's been said, "Work as if it all depended on you. Pray as if it all depended on God." Apparently I'm a lot better at that first part. But as Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." I've seen God use the times of frustration to remind me that it's not my efforts alone that will build Christ's Kingdom on earth and drive me back to prayer. Prayer for the hearts of men and women here. Prayer for clarity in where to focus my efforts. Prayers of confession for the self-centered attitude and bitterness I need to repent of. But eventually, when I get over myself, prayers of thanksgiving for the many who remember to pray for me when I don't even remember to pray for me. Thank you for your prayers and gifts to help make this all possible.