At the top of this page there is a tab entitled “Prayer Requests.” I just posted an update of things we need prayer for over the next 2 weeks or so. We need all the prayer we can get right now. Thank you.
I always knew when this moment finally came, it would rank as one of the most scary moments of my life. Today the building was approved to be placed on the market.
I wish I had a Gideon like experience. When Gideon snuck down to the enemy camp, he heard the people saying encouraging things about how Gideon was going to win. My experience was opposite. I heard others saying how interested they are in purchasing the building.
It is a time for prayer and a time for trust. Pray that God moves and we get the building in such a way that only points to His obvious involvement. Let us trust that the God who has guided us through all our troubles will sovereignly guide us through this moment where so much of our hopes hang on the line.
Who will pray with us?
I was thinking this week about the exodus. Specifically, how when God’s people left Egypt, God moved and they plundered the Egyptians on the way out. God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to give God’s people a vast amount of valuable things. I am struck by how similar that story is from our own.
This Sunday it feels like we plundered the school we have been renting from. They allowed us to go through what remains and pull out whatever we wanted including a piano, 200 chairs, tables, 20 computers, an industrial cooker (oven/stove) 2 freezers, etc.. With all that God is doing for us, all the favour He is showing us, it feels like we are living modern versions of bible stories.
One of my perpetual prayers is that God will move in our day like in the days we read about in the bible. He seems to be! It is incredible and courage demanding to live in an era where God is obviously at work.
Abraham Heschel says in his book, God In Search of Man, that while the Greeks studied to comprehend, and western thinkers study to apply their knowledge in a practical way, the ancient Hebrews studied to revere God.
I guess that begs the question do I stumble into moments of reverence and awe, overwhelmed by the amazingness of God, or do I pursue them? Do I read the bible only to understand it, or do I also have times I read it just to be blown away by how incredible God is? Both are important. Maybe it is time to revive the lost art of reading to revere?
I don’t believe personal well being to be something idolized and over-pursued. That said, in my context, I find a healthy life rhythm essential in maintaining mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Why is it ‘exercising’ effects my spiritual health? Why is it ‘consistency’ effects my emotional health? I am sure someone has an answer. All I know is, when I get into a consistent rhythm (schedule) which includes times of exercise, and larger blocks for prayer and the bible my emotional and spiritual health is solid and at peace.
I am not a rigid individual; yet the people I see with consistent and reliable schedules that are religiously adhere to, seem more effective, more productive, and more able to maintain their life pace over the long haul as well as more able to better navigate the unexpected storms of life.
It seems I am constantly relearning this most basic of lessons. I have been slow at re-establishing my rhythm this summer. The result has been over working, higher than usual stress, and a tinge of burn out.
How healthy and consistent is your life rhythm?
I have heard that Hutcheson’s is planning on asking us to be out of the building as of the middle of the month meaning we are homeless for a season. We are praying that they will change their mind, since we are attempting to purchase the building. We are also looking interim space between the middle of September and when we can move in to the building permanently.
On my mind this morning is the story of David leaving Jerusalem, being driven out by his son. He spends a season on the move, but eventually God brings him back.
Please pray with us!
UPDATE: The phone call happened and God changed their minds, allowing us to stay in the building a bit longer. There will be no heat, no janitorial, no guarantee from week to week, but we aren’t out yet!!! God moved.