Intentional Encouragement

            My wife and I have just stepped into a transition time.  This past Sunday, after our morning worship service, I read my resignation to our church family.  While it was something that had been brewing in our hearts for some time and something which we are supremely confident that God wanted us to do, it is still very difficult to declare an end to a pastoral relationship with people whom you have served with and loved for almost 9 years.  In some ways; it is made more difficult for us since we do not know yet where we are going next.  We are simply convinced that God has said "start walking; I'll let you know when you get there."  A good friend of mine sent me this quote from Francis Chan and it means a lot to me right now: "God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doe...

     My wife and I spent an hour and a half with our special needs son's teacher yesterday reviewing his Individual Educational Plan; interacting about what we are observing in his progress and what we anticipate for his future.  It is an annual review that reminds us that we (with the assistance of his school) are preparing him to live as independently as possible...some day.      Each year, when we go, we review his "outside of school" situation and let his teacher know his circumstances in our own home, in our church life and in the life of his siblings.  This year we reported that two of the latter now live on their own.  The third is in his third year of university studies and, other than school breaks and next summer, won't likely be living at home for any more long-term stays.  Our "nest" is virtually empty.      That brings me to my thoughts today.  Life moves on.  That's a little more bluntly put than ...