"A New Chapter"

     As my stomach was turning as I prepared to click "Book Now," it hit me, we are really doing this. As we have seen the Lord work in our lives over the past year and a half in preparation to enter into ministry as full time missionaries, it was somehow still nerve wrenching.
     As we have talked with family and friends about our move and where we feeling the Lord lead us, one common phrase I have heard, "You are closing one chapter in your lives, and starting a new one." I have found myself reflecting on this comment a lot lately. When we read a book, we generally start at the beginning and so on, each chapter building to the climax of the story. As Christians, do we really ever know where the climax is? Should we not live each day as our last since we are not promised tomorrow? Where then or should I ask, How then do we really know where one chapter ends and the next begins? If we truly live our lives to Glorify God and His kingdom each and every day, wouldn't we see His hand at work and how can we try to put limitations as to what God can do.
     Sure, we can reflect back on our lives and see where God moved and how He worked in each phase, but with so many people I have heard them talk about getting stuck in a rut. How do we as Christians guard ourselves from the rut and stay active and moving forward. Well I have found that with the onslaught of social media, many people can get their "Jesus" fix by merely "forwarding" a cute little picture or sharing a scripture with a beautiful background. My urging question to many, "Do you spend as much time with the Lord and in His Word, as you do on social media?" I know I am guilty of answering NO to this more often than I would like, however, if our daily burning desire is to seek the Lord and not get in a rut, shouldn't we be avoiding those things that tend to pull us away from Him? Do your coworkers and media friends or followers have the same opinion of you as your pastor?
     As my family "turns the page" to a new chapter in our lives, will you join us to steer clear of the rut and seek Him and His perfect will for our lives. Please keep us in your prayers as the anxiety and stress can easily overwhelm us with all the details of moving a family of six to another country. If you think of what may stress you, it is probably stressing us so lift us up to the Lord.