Faith, Passion and Peace

Have you ever been disappointed? Have you ever looked forward to something with great anticipation, only to watch it vanish away before coming to fruition?
We have.
Have you ever tried again, nerves and emotions on pins and needles, "Surely it won't happen again..." But it might. And sometimes it does.
It did.
"Are you guys excited about going to Uruguay?" We've heard it many times, and of course we say "Yes." But deep down, we've held out the full measure of excitement, holding our internal breath so that, just in case something else happens to prevent us from going, we won't reel quite as deeply.

Last week our "yes" changed to "yes!" Constant disappointment had dampened the freshness of our calling, but last week changed that. "Just because your calling is attacked does not mean that your calling is invalid. In fact, it's usually quite the opposite" (from a conference we attended in Atlanta last week). We believe again - Dad's got everything under control. In His timing, we'll leave on December 29.

Interesting how faith, passion, and peace are intermingled. Because our faith was restored, our passion increased. True passion is accompanied by deep peace.
Thanks, Father, for the adjustment in perspective.

Let's Go!

One year ago today. . .

One year ago today my (Jimbo) world changed. Something happened to me that was very unfamiliar and uncomfortable. I lost sight of living in joy. I couldn't relax. I felt a deep inward pressure, as if I was having a heart attack. It was as if I was about to experience another trauma, and I was already living in it. The world, life in general, became very unsafe, even though nothing was really that different. This was my first anxiety attack, opening up a chapter of life that lasted several months. I had attacks every day for several weeks, before they spread out to a couple a week, then to happening sporadically every once in a while. I didn't know why, or what was happening. All I knew is that I hated what was happening. Life was no fun anymore.
Then, beginning last fall, God began a journey of understanding and healing in my life. God began to bring people in my life whom He gifted with insight, exhortation, prophecy, and wisdom. From then until now, these people, who are in many different walks of life, spoke life. As I began to open up and process my innermost thoughts and pains, God began to deal with the roots of my disfunction and began to bring life; not just any life, but life abundant. The journey has been humbling, but very gracious. The body of Christ is an amazing thing. I am so privileged to be a son of the King, part of His family.
My world today, compared to a year ago, is completely different. I am working out of overflow instead of undertow. Living as I truly am, in my true identity, is so freeing. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Another Step of Redemption

This time last year our lives were full of brokenness. We knew we had a Healer fully capable of bringing restoration, but we had no idea how or when He would bring that restoration to fruition. Step by step, through interactions with His Word and His people, through conferences and books done by those whose lives have been transformed, our Healer has brought restoration - new life, abundantly overflowing.

Today we experienced new life in a place that, like us, was previously "broken." For four years we had poured our lives into a ministry; watching that ministry come to an end was painful - a loss both for us and for others who had invested in it along with us.

To see the healthy model of ministry now thriving in a place that means so much to us - to see our dear friends adjusting and thriving as well as they catch the vision of kingdom work - this is another step of redemption. Today was a special day.

"He has rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate."