New Hope

We had a significant time yesterday at church that produced a lot of hope in our hearts. Interestingly, the study for this past week was on the subject of hope and as I look back on yesterday I suddenly realize that I was inspired with more hope for the local church and our future.

If you have read the previous post you will be aware of a major event that happened in my relationship with another person in this church. This was continued and confirmed when we met again yesterday before and after the service. In fact, as we were gathering together for a delicious meal after church this person came up to me and insisted on giving me a very emotional hug and shared with tears in their eyes that they viewed me as a brother in Christ. This is in sharp contrast to the avoidance and tension that has been in place over the past few months between us.

Yesterday was also the first time we met our new pastor. He used his sermon to relate to us his own story of how he found himself in this position as our pastor. The story was both compelling and very encouraging to our hearts as it became very clear that it was God's obvious providence that led him to be here at this point in time. I have been praying earnestly for God to send the right couple to be our pastor during this time of expected revival and I feel even more confident now that He is answering our prayers.

Not only does this couple have the right qualifications and experience for this job, but the spirit that I sense in them is exactly what the doctor ordered as my parents would have said. Although this is actually his first position as a pastor, God had called him into the ministry a number of years ago and then caused him to wait for years to test his faith and patience just like Abraham. I am deeply moved and excited to see what God has in mind for this district and I want to be a willing partner in God's plans to bring real revival, life and joy into places where all of that has been lacking for so long.

Thank-you God for your blessings and most of all for your heart of compassion and love and grace. Show us your plans and cause us to walk in your ways so that our church family will become a place of grace and nurture, so that we can be a safe environment for people to grow, to make mistakes and still be loved and accepted. Fill our families with your love, your life, your presence and fill our pastors with your power and presence and glory. I pray all of this because its all about your reputation, not ours.