Last week we missed the Stolen Man all together. I have some revision I need to do on the next two episodes, and will take the next week to do this. Expect the Stolen Man to be back on regular Wednesday/Saturday rotation next week. Thank you for your patience.
Last night one of my sons said to me, “Can we please have Thanksgiving?” He wasn’t complaining. He wasn’t demanding anything big. He just wanted it to happen; to happen without stress and struggle; to have a day where we can celebrate and eat together and give thanks.
Of course we’ll have Thanksgiving. I love thanksgiving and Christmas both and we’re not extravagant about either, but we do celebrate then with, well, with thanksgiving, and joy. These are special traditional times for our family and it was a sad moment for me that our son is worrying about our ability to “do thanksgiving,” I try to shield the kids from the financial hardship we face, but it’s frankly impossible on some levels and this was a painful reminder.
I’ve been listening to one of SCC’s new songs, (take another step) and that’s the mode we’re in right now. January will be a new day with somethings settled and behind us, but for now, we take another step and another step.
I’ve committed to a more stable financial situation for our family, and that is part of any vision forward God has given me. Conferences start in January and I believe this is the door God has opened to help provide some of that. The recent month’s discomfort is some of the ways God has moved to make me be bolder, clearer and more aggressive about expanding a ministry which has been too much a hobby in recent years. In the short term; the next two months; the holiday months, it’s a little hard to see how we celebrate as we go. I’m committed to celebrating because God is good whether I have plenty or a little, but I’d appreciate your prayers for us as we press forward.
My goal is 20 conferences booked in 2014. It’s starting to happen, but that is a big number. Pray with us for that to happen. It’s exciting and encouraging and the prospect of enriching lives and bringing freedom and hope to so many people through those conferences is thrilling.
Pray for us these remaining months of 2013; for our hope, love and faith. Pray for my wisdom and diligence. For my wife’s hope and perseverance. For my kids to “have thanksgiving” and Christmas. The fact that God has not lead in a way which provides a stable salaried paycheck is a disappointment we still have to reconcile with our faith and trust in God’s continuing provision.
My kids go to a Great Commission conference called FaithWalkers at the end of December. They are going to set up a table for the Hidden Life there, to gain exposure. They are going so I can stay here to work during the busiest time of the year for the Apple Store. You can pray we are able to get materials to make that worthwhile (books, flyers, maybe a poster or two…) and if you’d like to donate to support the ministry in that way (or to provide scholarships for other churches) don’t forget you can do that here.
This week is a pivotal week in a number of ways. The scheduling of a just a few more churches who are thinking of booking conferences, would pave the way to move a couple things forward. Pray for that and I’ll let you know more specific about that next week.
Pressing on, trusting God and smiling at the future,
Thanks for listening.