Hurry Up and Wait Update

During our transitional season we are staying with dear friends, Rick and Cindy McClure, in central Arkansas near the Ouachita National Forest, the home of Sasquatch. It is 74 degrees and has been raining all day. The air smells like pine trees. That is about as near to a perfect day as you can get for a contemplative soul like myself. Here is an update on our current status.

We are now “free agents.” In other words, we are between churches and in the process of seeking God for our next assignment. It’s an awkward time and I have never been in this position before. In my 28 years of ministry, 14 of which I was a senior pastor, I have always moved from one setting to the next with little to no lag time, so this is a new experience.

It is a season of waiting on the Lord, a time to be still, to trust and to rest. Truthfully, it’s difficult to fully rest when you are uncertain of what is on the horizon. I enjoy preaching and teaching about faith, trust and belief much more than I do having to actually walk by faith, trust and belief. I’m learning much on this journey. Fear, insecurity, worry, anxiety, stress, emotional extremes, despair and depression are ongoing threats to “the peace that passes all understanding.”

Friendship, relationship and connection mean more to me now than ever. At the close of this season I will be a better friend and a more compassionate person. Random gestures of kindness are as thrilling as finding a diamond in a field or rediscovering a long forgotten trinket. People matter more than production, accolades or recognition. Perspective is shaped and crafted in these defining moments… for the better.

“What can I do?” I am so glad you asked. Breathe a prayer on our behalf for peace, for rest and for the next door to open. I am anticipating a great season of fruitful ministry just up ahead. In the meantime, I will do what I can to quite the voices, calm my mind and be still and know that He is God.

Jimmy
13:13