Glory-Strength

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We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more of how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul - not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. Colossians 1:10-12 (MSG)

This is my goal: to seek and know Him more.

I love how this verse in the Message says that by learning more of how God works, we will know how to do our work (and not until then). He says this after referencing working in God's orchard - ministering to people and bearing fruit - but when I read about knowing how to do my work, my thoguts went directly to my job. Granted, this happens quite often these days when in the midst of my time in the Word or anything else since this has been a challenging year in so many ways, but I think it's good. I would not have gotten through this year had God not showed me how to do my work. And I'm not just talking about granting me wisdom in what I do and how to deal with different situations, but how to love and serve my kids and coworkers, and how to work in His excellence (which comes merely from Him and lots of answered prayers). There have been times of teeth-gritting when I was not focused on the Lord like I should have been, but for the most part I have experienced that glory-strength, the kind that you know could only come from the Lord, the kind that you look back on and you say, "Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me through that, and bringing me through it in a way that is glorifying to you." He is my joy, my strength.

Ok, a couple of quick notes...I was reading the Proverbs 31 blog, and they were talking about consistantly being watchful and prayerful. I know it's really hard when there are so many things going on during the day, but our every day is our orchard! And there are lots of seed to be planted and tended to out there.

Oliver :) Hopefully you saw the awesome picture below this blog. Im pretty sure I laugh every time I see it. That is my cool little nephew that I got to see last weekend, and he really brought me some joy. Good thing since Adam had left again for another month in CT without his wifey.

kell

oliver

we mean business.

I guess it's my turn?

Ok, so I have to admit that I didn't really think we would get into the blog world. I mean, who has time for these things? Then I started reading the blogs of my two best friends, Jessica and Angela, and realized that it really is a cool thing - something worth finding time for. And as the hubby said, I think this will be a great tool for us as we begin exploring our new home in CT.

On the note of exploration, we have a lot to do! I mean we dont know anything about the world we are about to dive in to. Adam will have a leg up on me as he has been able to do a little exploration of grocery stores (please pray that we find a good one, seriously), a church (again, please pray) and what not, but we have a ways to go.

One thing you hear a lot of is that the people up north are not as friendly. Though we have heard that this has been known to send native Texans fleeing back to their homeland, it excites me in a way. When I meet someone that seems to have a good heart, I often think, "They have got to know Jesus." Now I know that this isn't always the case, and we all have our good days and bad days, but if we continue to hear about how people are not as nice, and of kids being questioned by other kids for going to church, then there have got to be a lot of people that need Jesus up there! It will be a whole new mission ground for us, and I look forward to it.

I decided to start reading 1 Peter a couple of days ago, and I can't seem to make it past the first chapter - I just want to keep reading it over and over!

6In this [your salvation] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope full on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I think there will definitely be trials that accompany our move to CT, but it is all part of the Lord refining us, making us into the Christians that Adam spoke of at the end of his post. He is melting away our impurities and allowing us opportunities to become more like Him, to serve Him, and to proclaim Him. Please pray that He prepares our minds and our hearts for this, and that we can see and seize these opportunities to bring Him glory!

Kelley

Houston....we have a problem...

I am a Texas boy now living in Connecticut, with my wife soon to follow. I am a closed book to most people, as is my wife at times (we are so ridiculously alike in good AND bad traits...so much for the opposites attract argument), hence my desire to start this blog and share our adventures, hardships, encounters, and praises with those who care to know....God knows I won't just pick up the phone and call someone to "share". I am the ULTIMATE call screener. My family and friends can attest to this fact. My phone will ring in the other room, and my loving servant-hearted wife will jump up to go retrieve it, and I will quickly tackle her and insist we let it go to voicemail....which I will check at some point in the next 48 hours. I do this at work as well...the use of Yahoo Messenger in my industry has only aided and abetted my nasty habit. The glory of Yahoo IM's is that you get to see who it is that is contacting you, and maybe even know what they want before you ever have to respond....and then you can take your sweet time responding under the guise of being "away" or "busy". It's awesome. And terrible. This is not something I am proud of.....it is a very selfish / self-centered way of treating those who love or know me...and is a trait I need to remedy (especially given the distance I have just put between myself and my loved ones with our recent relocation). In the meantime, this blog will be my bridge towards learning to open up and share.
If it isn't already clear, vulnerability is not my strong suit. I am a man...who developed the wheel and built the eiffel tower out of braun and metal...that's the kind of man I am. I'm not vulnerable...I work out. With that being stated....a list of my fears with this relocation to the NE:

1) Will we find a church that we love, believes what we believe, and provides a biblical community of love, prayer, and support?

2) Will we find new friends that compare with our best buds back home? This is an impossible task in my mind...my friends are some of THE greatest people...hilarious, god-fearing, intelligent, loving.....this is not a matter of opinion. Intrinsically my friends are great people..I'm just fortunate enough that they like me too.

3) Will Kelley and I be able to fight our tendencies to be satisfied hanging out with only one another - not branching out to make new friends and build new relationships??

4) Will I be the man God desires me to be in a new environment, far from the "bible-belt", where Christianity is much more likely something to be mocked than respected?

The Young Life Staff guy I met up here made this analogy today. Christians in the NE are like trees on the edge of a cliff. There aren't many of them that survive, but the ones that do are strong and resilient. I pray we will be the latter.

AE