Today marks the fifteenth day since Taylor and I packed a few bags and drove out of Seminole. I have not seen Brenda, Tanner, or Turner in over two weeks. I have not seen Tucker in seventeen days. This marks the longest I have ever been away from them. Brenda told me last night on the phone Turner is beginning to make comments about my being gone so long more frequently. That tears into my soul.
We have still only had one call on the house and one family look at it. Nobody has called going on the fourth week. Not one phone call. No one has looked at the house. I have prayed. I prayed late at night, early in the morning and all times in between. Others are praying with us from West Texas to East Texas. While I miss my family I try to busy myself with the work of starting this church.
We had a good midweek time together last night. We had over thirty people total. It is exciting watching God put this all together. We had five new people visit last night. We sat in a circle and studied the scriptures. Such a simple but profound experience. After teaching the adults we turned our attention to the teenagers. We played games for thirty minutes and then dug into the book of Acts. They really seemed to get into the book of Acts.
There are challenges. I miss my family more than I can put into words. I think of the simple joys like Turner sitting in my lap, wrestling with Tanner, hugging Turner. Most of all I miss the woman I have shared the past twenty years with. I miss eating breakfast with her, talking through our plans for the day, eating dinner she has prepared with love. I miss sitting in my chair and sleeping in my bed. You know things are bad when I have even thought about the dog. We have never been apart this long even though I use to travel full time. Some would say because the house has not sold, we are not together as a family in Paradise, and do not have a home here that is evidence God must not have really been in my following Him here to plant a church. They would argue if God were truly leading this endeavor He would work out those details.
I know how it looks but I also know how the Lord has spoken and keeps speaking to me. I do not understand why He has delayed in selling my house and reuniting my family but I do not doubt for one second He called me here. I have put my hand to the plow of starting this church and will not look back. I would argue on the other hand, I have had the opportunity to witness to people numerous times since I have been here. I am having a blast sharing Christ with people. Though none have been saved yet there are two I think might be really close. I have seen people who have not been in church for a long time (some ever) come and get involved. It excites me to see God at work drawing people to Himself.
I am confident I have found the house God has appointed for my family; 342 Paradise Canyon Circle. The only way I will be able to possess that house is to do so by faith. I have done so before. [Mark 11:23-24]. The mountain of my house in Seminole must be moved and the house sold. The mountain of Brenda not having a job must be moved. The mountain of not having down payment money must be moved. The mountain of getting financing for the house must move. I am standing firm on [Matt 21:22] “And all things you ask in prayer believing, you will receive.”
I have to do more than pray. I have to step out in faith by acting. I have to possess our home through prayer and bold acts of faith. Israel would never have possessed the promise land if all they did were to pray. They had act on what they prayed. They had to enter the land and fight to possess what God promised them. They had to demonstrate their complete trust in God by acts of obedience. It is no different for me. I have to fight in prayer and by putting feet to those prayers.
So, in faith I will make an offer on the house I believe the Lord has led me to. I will boldly stand on his promises as if they were cash money and watch God bewilder all of us with His mighty acts. Nothing is impossible with Him. [Luke 1:37] I will behold God moving my mountains again.
Taylor told me last night this is just another chapter in the adventure of our lives and in God’s timing He will bless us with a house. This is coming from a teenage boy in the middle of two a days football practices who has been sharing a bed or sleeping on the floor for the past two weeks. He does not complain. His maturity is exciting to witness. I see how he is stepping up as a leader among the other students in our new church. We had over a dozen students for our first youth service.
I busy myself with prayer, study, making visits, and trips to both the Bridgeport and the Decatur libraries I teasingly call my office. I had a counseling appointment at the Finish Line Café here in Paradise this week. The owner jokingly told me if I stayed there any longer she would have to charge me rent. I feel what Abraham must have felt when God called Him to follow to a land the Lord would show Him. [Heb 11:8] I am totally dependent on the Lord. I have no safety nets to catch me if I fail. I have nowhere else to turn. Either God shows Himself faithful to the Edwards family as He has done over and over again or we sink.
There is no plan B. God called me to follow Him here and regardless of the trials I must stay the course. I knew this would not be easy before I ever left Seminole. This is day fifteen Taylor and I have been here. We prepare to move our Sunday morning services to the new Jr. High cafeteria this coming Sunday because we already outgrew the daycare. By faith there are lost souls that must be possessed for the King. I continue to fight for the heart of my King.
I would not say the past fifteen days have been easy but God has sustained Taylor and I. From other’s vantage point I may appear a fool but I am a fool for Christ. Some may doubt the emotional pain all of this is inflicting on Brenda, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner. I say love for Christ is to exceed love for family. Some would say I am a fool to give up such a great church and ministry such as I gave up at FBC Seminole. I simply say I followed God and leave the details with Him. I trust God will work wonders and prove following Him here to start this church He initiated. This was His idea and therefore I can trust that what He wills to be done will be done. [I Jn 5:14-15]
I do not know if God will move my mountains soon and my family will be reunited or if the days will turn into weeks as we wait on Him. Make no mistake about it, neither Brenda or I doubt God’s call to follow Him here. We will keep praying and trusting. I will keeo writing, and obeying. I will keep sharing Christ, preaching, teaching, leading, and following Christ on this adventuresome journey. Who knows what day fifteen will bring. None of us knows what miracles God has in store. We cannot see the wonders He will perform just around the corner. So I keep putting one foot in front of the other following God. I wait in faith to see how day fifteen will turn out.
No comments:
Post a Comment