Fighting ALS, Fueled by Faith

Well the moving van comes on April 21 and on April 22 I fly to Ohio while my son, wife and possibly son-in-law drive east. We are moving in to the same complex in the Mason, Ohio area as my son for now while our home here in Henderson sells. So many emotions! After 28 years in the desert we are headed back to the midwest. Change is inevitable but it seems to be easier as a concept than a reality.

Easter Sunday was an emotional day for me. Twenty years ago I met a man who has grown to be a great friend and spiritual mentor. A Paul to me, for those of you that know that relational language. I was chairing the administrative council for a local church we attended and he was interviewing for a pastor position (in view of a call). He was moving away from Louisiana after hurricane Katrina and the desert is a pretty safe spot. No hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis or the like. Of course it was God leading him and his family but it was clear to me he had lived through his last hurricane. He shared in the interview his passion for reaching the lost, his desire to start up a new church and a bit of a holy discontent with people that call themselves Christian but don’t live out their faith. I still remember that interview.

Four years later he started a new work and alongside about 90 others, my young family of six began a new journey in a school with him. Over the last sixteen years God has done crazy and miraculous things. The church and pastoral focus is on discipleship – in the Las Vegas valley. You can only imagine how much the enemy didn’t want this to prosper. But our God is bigger. This Easter Sunday was so very satisfying to see probably over 1,000 attending and guess what our pastor strongly preached on … Living out your Christian faith. With passion and conviction his message is stronger today than ever. I was proud of him and honored to be a part of this church for the last sixteen years. And greater things are in store as we watch Gods plans unfold.

In Ohio my son and daughter-in-law are loving a church they just recently found. It appears to be a start up with just under 100 people and our son says it reminds him of our church. Wouldn’t it be just like our God to take our ministry experience and put it to work again in a start up? We will see but makes me chuckle a bit.

Thank you to all that have helped and offered to help in packing the house. It has been a blessing to have such a great response. We feel loved by the show of support.

As I wrap up this post, I am reminded of how the pursuit of comfort can be so influential in our lives. Every time we question this move, it is about wanting to be more comfortable. We are choosing to follow His leading and it isn’t all that comfortable at the moment. But we know his promises and experienced His provision, which allows us to boldly follow.

So onward we go ….