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Sickness is sobering, isn’t it? I think this for a few reasons, and before I begin, I want you to know that I’m getting philosophical and NOT looking for sympathy. This go around has just made me think a little bit. When you’re sick enough that you need to stay laid up in bed just to feel an ounce of your humanity, it shakes you a little bit. It reminds me that I’m just not quite invincible as I still think I am.

Do you guys know what I’m talking about? Maybe the ladies don’t deal with this as much as the guys do, but I can remember a time (errr…. including right now:)) where I knew I couldn’t be beat. I don’t just mean in the sports or academic sense, but more along the lines of health and success. I can remember doing ridiculous things like burnouts in my truck, jumping off roofs, swimming upstream at Charrette Creek during flood stage (incidentally finding myself frighteningly near to the Missouri river, and having BB gun fights at dangerously close ranges. Mom & Dad if you didn’t know half of these things, just pretend like they never happened. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t really know where to start all this off. I’m a procrastinator by nature, obviously, but this I’ve been putting off intentionally for two weeks hoping to become inspired, sit down and share a stirring testimony of how I’ve jumped full force into my next steps and am dominating a new/temporary career.

Well… I haven’t, I’m not, and I’m not exactly sure what the future looks like. The first week of July, Brandi and I sat down and had a major heart-to-heart confessional/directional style conversation. It’s a “what do we see ourselves doing next” type thing. In the middle of June, I would probably have told you that I was undoubtedly headed to Colorado to work with the youth and the fine people at Greeley Wesleyan Church. Obviously, that didn’t happen, thanks to the discernment from Pastor Steve and us being reminded that we aren’t always the ones in control, I stepped away a little confused but still positive.

Through this whole process, we were preparing for our good friend Pastor Ryan to move on from Warrenton and head to Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church in Wisconsin. After our trip to Greeley, it was as if my drive to seek out other opportunities wavered and weakened almost immediately. Not totally understanding why, I committed my thoughts to prayer, and was startled by the peace I had in 1 particular thought… It was time for a break. Not just a vacation, or an extended weekend somewhere far away, but a complete step aside from full-time ministry for a season.

This feeling was confirmed when I shared my thoughts with Brandi that night in early July. The best way I could describe her reaction is one of relief and speechlessness. She said that I essentially presented to her something that she had wanted to bring up to me but maybe just didn’t have the words to do. I should take and make a little side note here to say that this is easily one of the top 2 or 3 difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make. It was not entered into lightly, nor was it something I wanted to do, it was just evident that it is the right thing to do. Read the rest of this entry »

I realize this isn’t the much awaited update I’d promised, but you need to see these anyway. Vote on your fav.