Weekend in Review

There may be many posts like that in the future. I don't know, but this weekend certainly deserves a review. This past weekend I took leave of my family for around 24 hours and went to Windust Campground, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. During that time I caught up on some of the reading I posted here, humbled myself enough to ask for paper and a lighter (it's been a couple years since I went camping, and I was in a hurry when I left home), and - most importantly - I spent time seeking God as to what in the world Shari and I are supposed to do with our lives now that we're at GHC. Here are a few, succinct statements about what God spoke to me during that 24 hrs.

1. Quit kicking myself for my disobedience. God used so many men after they disobeyed Him in a variety of ways. There is Grace. Receive it and move on. God still has work for me.
2. God has asked me to set youth ministry down for the time being. Since He didn't say forever, I asked Him if that means I'll be able to pick it back up again some day. He very clearly said to me, "That is irrelevant for you right now. For now, your role is simply to obey me."
   
3. God is calling me to serve GHC and make it better. What that looks like is going to be a constant tension between Shari and I seeking God and striving to hear His voice as to what we're to be doing, and listening the voices of our church's leadership, trusting Him that they are listening to Him, too.
4. Within that mandate, God has confirmed that our number one role for the immediate future will be leading the small group ministry of our church. We call them G.R.A.C.E. Groups (which stands for Growing, Reaching, and Connecting Everyone). Shari and I are very excited about this, as we not only have a tremendous heart for small groups, but we see so much potential in the structure that's already here. We're looking forward to moving into this role over the summer, and really kicking it off this fall.

There were some other things the Lord spoke to me, which I may share later, about building team. However, those are the primary matters for Shari and I.

In addition to those things, I spent part of Saturday afternoon planning Michael's "Coming of Age" party. I am so excited about this event, I could spit... which, I'm not sure what that has to do with being excited, but it conveys... er, something. Now I need to convey information to everybody else about it, and find locations for the different aspects of it. Less than three weeks. Eeek!

I also spent quite a bit of time listening to Andy Stanley podcasts on leadership on the way down and back. Those were excellent reminders of leadership principles. I look forward to listening to more.