i want to start by just saying thank you to everyone who reads these blogs. i am going to try to keep you up to date on what is going to be happening in the next few weeks of my life, as i prepare to follow our God. the first update is a praise. by last week, we needed to have 20% of our support for the trip raised. i am fortunate enough to have half of money either in hand at AIM, or pledged to be donated. thank you. God is providing beyond my dreams.
tomorrow i head to philly, baltimore, and eventually atlanta, where i will participate in training for the race. it’s weird to think, but i offered that today be my last day as youth pastor to the deacon board at groton heights. they denied that idea, and changed that extension to the sunday before thanksgiving.
in atlanta, i’ll be camping, studying the word, and growing in my love for my future teammates (they’re the ones in all the pictures above). it’s a weekend with a spiritual focus. the goal is to draw near, as a community, to the Lord. i think the week will help me have a better idea of the various ministries we’ll be working with in each of the countries. this week will also be the week where we’re divided into teams. i’ll find out who the five or six people that i’ll be directly accountable to and responsible for throughout 2009.
i come back to groton on the 27th. less than a week later i will be revealing the news of the trip to my church. i’m pained by the idea of hurting students and families. i worry that this will be an event that satan will use to drive our students away from the Lord with lies like “he didn’t really care about you,” or “see that he’s leaving, you can’t believe hebrew 13:5…“
i’m not worried about my feelings. i get my worth from our Lord. instead, i have a burden that our church turns to the Lord for his leadership in a transition period. pray for the church. pray that i have wisdom as i disclose my plans to our church body. pray that the spirit birthes within our congregation the same passion for this trip that i currently have!
you are loved. thank you for your prayers and support. – DB
