The Finishing Line, The Starting Line: Part One

So, Saturday night we had a going-away party. It was a lot of fun. For Marissa and I it was a celebrate-our-friends party. We had fun talking, catching up and letting everyone know how much we'll miss them and that we're thankful for them. Our friends from IHOP-Atlanta gave us a coffee-table-like-book full of pictures from our three years there. It's awesome, and we'll treasure it forever.

This transition is very interesting for us in that it is an overlapping transition. In many ways our time in Whiteriver started before we left (with us sort of being on staff with AYM and preparing for this move), and us moving to Whiteriver doesn't mean that we're not going to see our friends again, but just that we won't be close in proximity anymore. We know that some friends will come and visit, so that's cool, but there's a strong urgency to our move both of vision for our lives and passion (with confidence) that God has marked us and designed us for this ministry.

Sunday night we shared at IHOP's "Encounter Service", regarding Native America and what we'll be doing in this new season of life and ministry. After sharing we received prayer and we were incredibly touched. There's something about being sent by, not just the Body of Christ, but by people who are like family to you, who believe in you, and who want to see you walk in the life that God prepared for you.

The past couple of days we've been packing and today we got our U-Haul truck. Now, I'm not one to spiritualize everything, but everything in our lives as of late has been: Native America, Native America, Native America, studying, praying, thinking, etc. We're leaving behind family, friends and comfort zones to learn more, live with and give ourselves over to this culture unto sharing the love and light of Christ with them. So maybe I shouldn't have been surprised when the U-haul truck that was pulled around for us had a mural of Sacajawea on the side of it. :-)

More to come....