December 28, 2012
We're coming to the end of 2012 and also the end of our sabbatical. It has been a great time of listening to the Lord. As I have drawn near to the Lord He has drawn near to me. I sense His presence in a deeper way and also know that He is pleased with me because of the presence of Jesus in my life.
The key time for Susan and me was our time in Sanibel, Florida. Each morning I would get time with God as I was reading in the Gospels. I would pray that the Lord would lift a word or a phrase from my reading that was a word from Him to me. I knew that He was drawing near to me and revealing Himself to me. "It is I" were His words to me and they came up repeatedly in the Gospels and in Isaiah. Susan and I read in Isaiah. I sensed that my soul was being restored and strengthened. I am on a quest to know Christ more and more.
Now we move toward what we will be doing in the new year. We have talked with our supervisor Matt Martin, with our Sabbatical supervisors, Mike and Norma Merritt, our sabbatical team and our Kansas City Staff about our future. We worked through some Job Descriptions and have narrowed one down for now.
We would like to go at a slower pace, have a narrower focus and a deeper walk resulting in an Impact for Christ.
slower pace: If thinking terms of hours per week 30 hours instead of 40. More time with family.
narrower focus Function in my strengths of Encouragement and Evangelism. Susan and I have been leading
the KC Nav Staff team. We will no longer lead the staff but continue on the team.
deeper walk: Continue on a quest to know Christ. Making time to be alone with the Lord and learn from
Him.
Key Elements of our Job Description for 2013
I. Ministry to and among Nav Staff
A. To be a engaged member of the KC Nav Staff Team
B. To be intentional about encouraging the KS Staff
C. To encourage and assist in recruiting new staff for KC
II. Personal ministry
A. To come alongside the lost in evangelism
B. To disciple new believers
C. To be an encouragement to mature believers
Desired outcomes:
I. To have a staff group that relates well to each other and networks to create effective ministry in KC.
II. To see new couples/singles join our staff group, as the Lord provides
III. To see the lost coming to Christ
IV. To see new believers growing in their walk with Christ and beginning to reach out to others.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW YEAR! God Bless. Dave
Friday, December 28, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
October 30 , 2012. As we near the end of October we are also nearing the end of the Reflection phase of our sabbatical and in November will move into the refocus phase of what we will do after our sabbatical at the end of December.
Acts 22: 6 & 10 came to mind today. Paul asked, "Lord, Who are you?" and "Lord, What do you want me to do?" Up until now the time of Reflection has been centered on the question," Lord, Who are you?" I have become aware of that place in me, in my spirit where God's Spirit is at work stirring up my deepest longings to draw me deeper into relationship with God. I am finding my value in Christ's value of me instead of value from ministry. I am moving from doing to being, being in Christ as central. He is coming to me and saying, "It is I" Dave. So, I am trusting God to reveal more of Himself to me through Jesus and to use my life.....
To use my life or the answer to the question that Paul had, "Lord what do you want me to do?" is not clear yet. That is what the next phase of our sabbatical will be about. So in November we will be talking with our supervisor, Matt Martin, our sabbatical supervisors, Mike and Norma Merritt and our sabbatical accountability team and also our KC Navigator staff to help us clarify what our ministry contribution will be in the new year.
We'll keep you posted as things evolve. Dave and Susan
Acts 22: 6 & 10 came to mind today. Paul asked, "Lord, Who are you?" and "Lord, What do you want me to do?" Up until now the time of Reflection has been centered on the question," Lord, Who are you?" I have become aware of that place in me, in my spirit where God's Spirit is at work stirring up my deepest longings to draw me deeper into relationship with God. I am finding my value in Christ's value of me instead of value from ministry. I am moving from doing to being, being in Christ as central. He is coming to me and saying, "It is I" Dave. So, I am trusting God to reveal more of Himself to me through Jesus and to use my life.....
To use my life or the answer to the question that Paul had, "Lord what do you want me to do?" is not clear yet. That is what the next phase of our sabbatical will be about. So in November we will be talking with our supervisor, Matt Martin, our sabbatical supervisors, Mike and Norma Merritt and our sabbatical accountability team and also our KC Navigator staff to help us clarify what our ministry contribution will be in the new year.
We'll keep you posted as things evolve. Dave and Susan
Monday, October 29, 2012
October 29, 2012. When we were in Montana in July one of the verses that really stood out to me was I Kings 3:5 "Ask for what ever you want me to give you" This what the Lord said to Solomon. I thought what would I ask for? It wasn't real clear to me what I would ask for although the deep longing of my heart was to hear the Lord voice on His calling for my life.
Another book that I have been reading is "Jesus Calling" a devotional book by Sarah Young. She relates things that she senses the Lord has impressed her with, such as, "True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you have decided to do. It is coming to Me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you. I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach. You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal. Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me."
These words really spoke to my heart so I began asking the Lord to
plant His desires in my heart and mind and
to instill a dream of ministry contribution in my heart and mind
to this point He has answered by giving me
A fresh vision of Jesus "It is I" helping me understand in a deeper way that life is all about Him
and that He wants to reveal Himself to me. So the desire that the Lord is planting in my heart is
to know Him. Phil 3:10 that I my know Him
Jeremiah 9:24 But let him who boasts boast about this, that he understands and
knows Me.
Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to
Him in His temple
This is resulting in, a restoring of my soul and in a setting of heart and mind on Him
That's all for today. My answer to the Lord's challenge to Solomon, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" is now , LORD I ASK YOU TO REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME MORE AND MORE.
Another book that I have been reading is "Jesus Calling" a devotional book by Sarah Young. She relates things that she senses the Lord has impressed her with, such as, "True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you have decided to do. It is coming to Me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you. I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach. You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal. Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me."
These words really spoke to my heart so I began asking the Lord to
plant His desires in my heart and mind and
to instill a dream of ministry contribution in my heart and mind
to this point He has answered by giving me
A fresh vision of Jesus "It is I" helping me understand in a deeper way that life is all about Him
and that He wants to reveal Himself to me. So the desire that the Lord is planting in my heart is
to know Him. Phil 3:10 that I my know Him
Jeremiah 9:24 But let him who boasts boast about this, that he understands and
knows Me.
Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to
Him in His temple
This is resulting in, a restoring of my soul and in a setting of heart and mind on Him
That's all for today. My answer to the Lord's challenge to Solomon, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" is now , LORD I ASK YOU TO REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME MORE AND MORE.
Friday, October 26, 2012
October 26, 2012, Another quote from, "Strengthening the Soul of your leadership" has been helpful. "There are times when a leader's deepest longing is to hear a word from the Lord. Do I have enough
give in my schedule to be able to turn aside and pay attention when there is something that warrants it?"
Very often over the last couple of years I sensed a deep longing in my soul to hear a Word from the Lord about His calling on my life. This time of sabbatical has been a wonderful time to hear His voice. "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow Me" John 10:27. Also, "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught". Isaiah 50: 4. The Lord has impressed on me the word listen.
"This is my Son, listen to Him!" Mark 9:7. Each day I pray over the chapter in the Bible that I am reading and then listen for a word or phrase that Jesus is saying to me. This has been wonderful as the Lord is revealing Himself more and more to me and restoring my soul. It's not so much me coming to Him, even though I do but HIM coming to me. "and I too will love him and show Myself to him" John 14:21.
I thought the deep longing of my heart was to hear a word about my calling but the real need was to hear from the CALLER of my calling. "It is I" Mark 6:50. "It is I" Isaiah 52:6. "Here I am" Isaiah 58:9. His answer to my longing, HIMSELF. His answer to Moses, tell them that "I am" sent you.
Lord, thanks for revealing yourself to me. You didn't just want to renew my calling but You wanted me and Susan to see you more clearly. A fresh vision of You resulting in a restored soul.
give in my schedule to be able to turn aside and pay attention when there is something that warrants it?"
Very often over the last couple of years I sensed a deep longing in my soul to hear a Word from the Lord about His calling on my life. This time of sabbatical has been a wonderful time to hear His voice. "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow Me" John 10:27. Also, "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught". Isaiah 50: 4. The Lord has impressed on me the word listen.
"This is my Son, listen to Him!" Mark 9:7. Each day I pray over the chapter in the Bible that I am reading and then listen for a word or phrase that Jesus is saying to me. This has been wonderful as the Lord is revealing Himself more and more to me and restoring my soul. It's not so much me coming to Him, even though I do but HIM coming to me. "and I too will love him and show Myself to him" John 14:21.
I thought the deep longing of my heart was to hear a word about my calling but the real need was to hear from the CALLER of my calling. "It is I" Mark 6:50. "It is I" Isaiah 52:6. "Here I am" Isaiah 58:9. His answer to my longing, HIMSELF. His answer to Moses, tell them that "I am" sent you.
Lord, thanks for revealing yourself to me. You didn't just want to renew my calling but You wanted me and Susan to see you more clearly. A fresh vision of You resulting in a restored soul.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
October 25, 2012 one month after our last post. During this time we have been to Sanibel Island, Florida for a wonderful time of rest, reflection and time with each other and times alone with the Lord. Very special time in a very special place. Friends from our church provided their condo as a gift to our time of sabbatical.
One of the books I have read during this time of sabbatical is the book by Ruth Barton, "Strengthening the Soul of your leadership". I will share some quotes from the book and how the Lord has used them in my
life during this time. "Spiritual leadership emerges from our staying involved with our soul. . that place where
God's Spirit is at work stirring up our deepest longings to draw us deeper into relationship with Him".
To this point in our sabbatical the Lord hasn't been telling me
what He wants me to do but
Who He wants me to know
He has been revealing Himself to me as I meditate on the Word each day and listen to the Spirit lift a word or phrase from my reading.
Mark 6:50 Jesus said to the disciples in the midst of the storm on the sea when they saw Him on the water and thought that He was a ghost, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid" As I listened to the Spirit the words that stood out to me were "It is I". It was the first time I have read that phrase that "It is I" stood out to me. Usually it would be "Do not be afraid" or "Take Courage". Now the Lord is coming to me and saying, Dave it is not about what you need to do but who you need to Know. "It is I" Jesus revealing Himself to me that it is all about Him. It is not about me. Life and ministry is all about Him.
As these fresh revelations of Jesus have occurred for me my soul is being restored and refreshed. I sense a deeper longing in my heart to know more of Him and to allow Him to reveal Himself more. I'm also sensing a renewed desire to serve Him. I will share more as I post more regularly in the days to come. God Bless.
One of the books I have read during this time of sabbatical is the book by Ruth Barton, "Strengthening the Soul of your leadership". I will share some quotes from the book and how the Lord has used them in my
life during this time. "Spiritual leadership emerges from our staying involved with our soul. . that place where
God's Spirit is at work stirring up our deepest longings to draw us deeper into relationship with Him".
To this point in our sabbatical the Lord hasn't been telling me
what He wants me to do but
Who He wants me to know
He has been revealing Himself to me as I meditate on the Word each day and listen to the Spirit lift a word or phrase from my reading.
Mark 6:50 Jesus said to the disciples in the midst of the storm on the sea when they saw Him on the water and thought that He was a ghost, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid" As I listened to the Spirit the words that stood out to me were "It is I". It was the first time I have read that phrase that "It is I" stood out to me. Usually it would be "Do not be afraid" or "Take Courage". Now the Lord is coming to me and saying, Dave it is not about what you need to do but who you need to Know. "It is I" Jesus revealing Himself to me that it is all about Him. It is not about me. Life and ministry is all about Him.
As these fresh revelations of Jesus have occurred for me my soul is being restored and refreshed. I sense a deeper longing in my heart to know more of Him and to allow Him to reveal Himself more. I'm also sensing a renewed desire to serve Him. I will share more as I post more regularly in the days to come. God Bless.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
September 25, 2012 It's been awhile since I have posted on our blog. This is something new for me.
Susan and I had a great time at the Navigator Headquarters in Colorado Springs going through the
"Personal Contribution Assessment" Seminar with the People Resource Team of The Navigators.
We took a Myers-Briggs personal preference Inventory, Personal Values Assessment, Spiritual Gifts Indicator and a Primary Roles Indicator.
In the preference inventory, Susan and I are similar in that we both see life through facts and are organized.
We are different in that Susan gains energy by being alone and reflection while I gain energy by being with
people. We are also different in that Susan is strong in Thinking, analyzing all input toward logical consequences while I am more Feeling oriented, sensitive to the impact a decision can have on people.
I always was amazed at how well Susan understood the ministry we were involved in. It's because of her
strength of thinking which has been so helpful for me. One thing I didn't understand was her need for solitude. As a result I overwhelmed her with to many people and often. This time in Colorado helped me see this more clearly.
I can't go into all the results of the other Assessments but I can say that we are beginning to gain some insight on what the Lord's direction might hold for us. It seems that He will be leading us into New opportunities and New relationships as we go forward. We have no idea what those are or who they are but something New.
More on that as it unfolds.
Dave
Susan and I had a great time at the Navigator Headquarters in Colorado Springs going through the
"Personal Contribution Assessment" Seminar with the People Resource Team of The Navigators.
We took a Myers-Briggs personal preference Inventory, Personal Values Assessment, Spiritual Gifts Indicator and a Primary Roles Indicator.
In the preference inventory, Susan and I are similar in that we both see life through facts and are organized.
We are different in that Susan gains energy by being alone and reflection while I gain energy by being with
people. We are also different in that Susan is strong in Thinking, analyzing all input toward logical consequences while I am more Feeling oriented, sensitive to the impact a decision can have on people.
I always was amazed at how well Susan understood the ministry we were involved in. It's because of her
strength of thinking which has been so helpful for me. One thing I didn't understand was her need for solitude. As a result I overwhelmed her with to many people and often. This time in Colorado helped me see this more clearly.
I can't go into all the results of the other Assessments but I can say that we are beginning to gain some insight on what the Lord's direction might hold for us. It seems that He will be leading us into New opportunities and New relationships as we go forward. We have no idea what those are or who they are but something New.
More on that as it unfolds.
Dave
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
September 12th, 2012
We had a great Labor Day Weekend with our whole family at Table Rock Lake in Branson. It's a great opportunity for our families from KC, Wichita and St Louis to be together in one setting. The grandkids really love it!
We are now in the Reflecting and Assessment months of our Sabbatical. Last week Susan and I completed Personality, Gifts, Roles and Values assessments. This week we are at The Navigators Headquarters for our Personal Contribution Assessment Seminar with the People Resource Team of The Navs who help us understand the implications of our Personality traits. One example is ,"Where do we prefer to focus our attention for inner energy?" I'm an extravert so I focus on the outer world and people and things to be energized while Susan is an introvert and focuses on the inner world of thoughts and ideas for inner energy.
As a result I am always pushing out for new ministry possibilities whhile Susan wants to develop, in a deeper way, the relationships we already have. We still learning how to find balance in this area.
Please pray for us to be able to continue to grow in our understanding of how God has designed us.
Dave
We had a great Labor Day Weekend with our whole family at Table Rock Lake in Branson. It's a great opportunity for our families from KC, Wichita and St Louis to be together in one setting. The grandkids really love it!
We are now in the Reflecting and Assessment months of our Sabbatical. Last week Susan and I completed Personality, Gifts, Roles and Values assessments. This week we are at The Navigators Headquarters for our Personal Contribution Assessment Seminar with the People Resource Team of The Navs who help us understand the implications of our Personality traits. One example is ,"Where do we prefer to focus our attention for inner energy?" I'm an extravert so I focus on the outer world and people and things to be energized while Susan is an introvert and focuses on the inner world of thoughts and ideas for inner energy.
As a result I am always pushing out for new ministry possibilities whhile Susan wants to develop, in a deeper way, the relationships we already have. We still learning how to find balance in this area.
Please pray for us to be able to continue to grow in our understanding of how God has designed us.
Dave
Sunday, August 26, 2012
August 26, 2012 Susan and I had a good week in St Louis, helping our daughter Mary and her husband Steven with our grand daughters, Avery 7, Maya 4 and Holly 1 1/2. St Louis has great venues for the children.
We went to the Zoo one morning and the Children's Garden, part of the Botanical Gardens, another morning. Mary also gave me some tickets to a Cardinal's game so Avery and I did that the last day we were there. We went for 4 innings and that was just right for her. I felt really relaxed during the time there even though it takes effort to keep up with the kids. We enjoyed them.
Susan and I enjoyed an evening together last night as we celebrated our 41st anniversary. We went to a little French restaurant, Chez Elle, and then took in a show at the Folly Theater. We are thankful to the Lord for our lives together and the family He has given to us.
This coming weekend we will be with our whole family at Table Rock Lake for Labor Day. This is a tradition that we have been doing for 12 years.
We are feeling more and more rested. It has been good to be without ministry activity responsibility for these two months. In September we will doing a, "Personal Contribution Assessment" at the Nav Headquarters in Colorado Springs. This will help guide us in knowing where and how we can make our most effective contribution to the Kingdom of God moving forward.
My times in the Word have been good. I'm challenged by Hezekiah in II Kings 19:14 and how he turns to the Lord when he is threatened by the King of Assyria. "Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed, O Lord.. you alone are God ..You have made heaven and earth..listen to the words of Sennacherib, (the King of Assyria) sent to insult the Living God. (The Lord's response) This is what the Lord says, "I have heard your prayer concerning the King of Assyria...That night the angel of the Lord put to death a hundred and eighty five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
Hezekiah's instinct to go to the Lord and lay out his request to the Lord speaks to me about going to the Lord in prayer as a first response in times of need.
I look forward to more good times in the Word this week.
Dave
We went to the Zoo one morning and the Children's Garden, part of the Botanical Gardens, another morning. Mary also gave me some tickets to a Cardinal's game so Avery and I did that the last day we were there. We went for 4 innings and that was just right for her. I felt really relaxed during the time there even though it takes effort to keep up with the kids. We enjoyed them.
Susan and I enjoyed an evening together last night as we celebrated our 41st anniversary. We went to a little French restaurant, Chez Elle, and then took in a show at the Folly Theater. We are thankful to the Lord for our lives together and the family He has given to us.
This coming weekend we will be with our whole family at Table Rock Lake for Labor Day. This is a tradition that we have been doing for 12 years.
We are feeling more and more rested. It has been good to be without ministry activity responsibility for these two months. In September we will doing a, "Personal Contribution Assessment" at the Nav Headquarters in Colorado Springs. This will help guide us in knowing where and how we can make our most effective contribution to the Kingdom of God moving forward.
My times in the Word have been good. I'm challenged by Hezekiah in II Kings 19:14 and how he turns to the Lord when he is threatened by the King of Assyria. "Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed, O Lord.. you alone are God ..You have made heaven and earth..listen to the words of Sennacherib, (the King of Assyria) sent to insult the Living God. (The Lord's response) This is what the Lord says, "I have heard your prayer concerning the King of Assyria...That night the angel of the Lord put to death a hundred and eighty five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
Hezekiah's instinct to go to the Lord and lay out his request to the Lord speaks to me about going to the Lord in prayer as a first response in times of need.
I look forward to more good times in the Word this week.
Dave
Sunday, August 19, 2012
August 19, 2012
This is the second month of our Sabbatical and is designated as a time of rest. It has been restful... as we have been free from ministry responsibilities. It turns out that Susan's need for rest was especially needed at this time as well as mine. We are coming along in this area. We have enjoyed taking an afternoon and evening and visiting places in KC. We went to the "Money Museum" at the Federal Reserve Bank last week and the "Air Museum" at the downtown airport this week. We recommend both. We then have gone out for coffee or a meal afterwards. Another week we enjoyed going to a movie.
My times in the Word have been good this last week. I have been reading about Elijah and Elisha in I Kings and II Kings. In I Kings 4, a widow's creditors were threatening to take her two sons as slaves. All she had was one jar of oil. She told Elisha and he said, "Go and ask your neighbors for empty jars." So she and her boys collected many empty jars. Elisha then told her to go into her house with her two boys and to start pouring the oil she had into the empty jars. She did and the oil didn't stop flowing. All the jars were filled. She asked her son, "Are there any more empty jars?" He said, "No." Then the oil stopped flowing. She was able to pay off her creditors and had plenty left to live on..
As I read this story, my heart was filled with a desire to see people come to Christ and be filled with His Spirit. I compared people without Christ to the empty jars. My heart is thrilled to think of the Holy Spirit being poured in the empty lives of people to fill them with the Lord and make them useful to God.
This week we will be in St Louis helping our daughter, Mary and her husband Steven. Mary has to go back to work this week but her kids don't start school until next week. It will be an opportunity to be with our 3 granddaughters, 7, 4 1/2, & 1 year.
All for now.
Dave
This is the second month of our Sabbatical and is designated as a time of rest. It has been restful... as we have been free from ministry responsibilities. It turns out that Susan's need for rest was especially needed at this time as well as mine. We are coming along in this area. We have enjoyed taking an afternoon and evening and visiting places in KC. We went to the "Money Museum" at the Federal Reserve Bank last week and the "Air Museum" at the downtown airport this week. We recommend both. We then have gone out for coffee or a meal afterwards. Another week we enjoyed going to a movie.
My times in the Word have been good this last week. I have been reading about Elijah and Elisha in I Kings and II Kings. In I Kings 4, a widow's creditors were threatening to take her two sons as slaves. All she had was one jar of oil. She told Elisha and he said, "Go and ask your neighbors for empty jars." So she and her boys collected many empty jars. Elisha then told her to go into her house with her two boys and to start pouring the oil she had into the empty jars. She did and the oil didn't stop flowing. All the jars were filled. She asked her son, "Are there any more empty jars?" He said, "No." Then the oil stopped flowing. She was able to pay off her creditors and had plenty left to live on..
As I read this story, my heart was filled with a desire to see people come to Christ and be filled with His Spirit. I compared people without Christ to the empty jars. My heart is thrilled to think of the Holy Spirit being poured in the empty lives of people to fill them with the Lord and make them useful to God.
This week we will be in St Louis helping our daughter, Mary and her husband Steven. Mary has to go back to work this week but her kids don't start school until next week. It will be an opportunity to be with our 3 granddaughters, 7, 4 1/2, & 1 year.
All for now.
Dave
Saturday, August 11, 2012
August 11, 2012
Our sabbatical is going well. We do realize though, that trials in life come even if one is on sabbatical. We had a little accident with our rental car in Montana when I hit a one foot hide boulder making a u- turn in a parking lot. We have had some paperwork with that.
Taking a sabbatical is a choice for renewal. It allows leaders to take a step back from ministry in order to reflect and seek God's direction for the next phase of ministry and life. It also allows time to rest from ministry activity. We are still in the resting stage. Susan and I were talking about how much this "time off"
of ministry activity is helping us. We realize now how fatigued we were and still are.
At our last meeting with our sabbatical support team, I shared how I wasn't missing the ministry activities. Several of them commented that this could be because I wasn't in my best fit or ministry role. Susan and I were able to do a good job recruiting and bringing together a Nav Staff team in KC over the last 5 years but this is not my "sweet spot" especially the administrative paperwork that goes with that job.
I am a minister not an administrator
A grass roots minister not a manager
One of our sabbatical support team members shared from Matthew 11: 28-30. "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." The word easy means "fit for good use" "fits you well" A key part of our sabbatical will be finding that role that is a "good fit" in future ministry for us.
I spend an hour in the Word each morning and also an hour reading books. I am in I Kings and Matthew and hungering more and more for this time with the Lord in His Word. I am reading The book, "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership" Susan and I both sense that God's Spirit is at work stirring up our deepest longings to draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. We are growing in our understanding of the deep value and worth that we have in God's eyes just because of who we are in Christ apart of any ministry activity or production. "Moving more from a doing base to a being base" Finding our security in Him.
We continue our Rest phase through August and then will move into the reflect and assessment stage in September. We will go to the Nav Hdqtrs in Colorado for a "Personal Contribution Assessment" time next month. All for now.
Dave
Our sabbatical is going well. We do realize though, that trials in life come even if one is on sabbatical. We had a little accident with our rental car in Montana when I hit a one foot hide boulder making a u- turn in a parking lot. We have had some paperwork with that.
Taking a sabbatical is a choice for renewal. It allows leaders to take a step back from ministry in order to reflect and seek God's direction for the next phase of ministry and life. It also allows time to rest from ministry activity. We are still in the resting stage. Susan and I were talking about how much this "time off"
of ministry activity is helping us. We realize now how fatigued we were and still are.
At our last meeting with our sabbatical support team, I shared how I wasn't missing the ministry activities. Several of them commented that this could be because I wasn't in my best fit or ministry role. Susan and I were able to do a good job recruiting and bringing together a Nav Staff team in KC over the last 5 years but this is not my "sweet spot" especially the administrative paperwork that goes with that job.
I am a minister not an administrator
A grass roots minister not a manager
One of our sabbatical support team members shared from Matthew 11: 28-30. "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." The word easy means "fit for good use" "fits you well" A key part of our sabbatical will be finding that role that is a "good fit" in future ministry for us.
I spend an hour in the Word each morning and also an hour reading books. I am in I Kings and Matthew and hungering more and more for this time with the Lord in His Word. I am reading The book, "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership" Susan and I both sense that God's Spirit is at work stirring up our deepest longings to draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. We are growing in our understanding of the deep value and worth that we have in God's eyes just because of who we are in Christ apart of any ministry activity or production. "Moving more from a doing base to a being base" Finding our security in Him.
We continue our Rest phase through August and then will move into the reflect and assessment stage in September. We will go to the Nav Hdqtrs in Colorado for a "Personal Contribution Assessment" time next month. All for now.
Dave
Thursday, August 2, 2012
August 2, 2012 Susan and I returned yesterday from Montana. While there, we had a great visit with Jim and Linda Fordyce and 8 wonderful days at the Meadow Creek Retreat cabin which was made available to us by Jerry and Lu Ann Broekhuis, friends of the Navigators. It is located in Fortine, MT. less than 20 miles south of the Canadian border. We enjoyed seeing the mountain ranges, majestic valleys, swift running rivers, clear streams, sunsets, vast forests, and wildlife, such as deer, elk, mountain goats, moose and pheasants. Susan and I took a drive each evening to catch sight of the deer as they would come out of the forest to graze. We also enjoyed doing some hiking together.
We arrived at the cabin on a Monday and I thought we had arranged to leave on the following Monday. When I mentioned that to Susan, she said, "I sure could use more time here." It was on Thursday when I glanced at the schedule in the cabin that I realized we had until Wednesday -- two more days than I had thought. We rejoiced and really profited from the extra days to rest, reflect and be restored.
Sabbatical comes from the word Sabbath, which denotes day of rest. Early in June, our Sabbatical Advisers reminded us that the goal of our first two months on Sabbatical is just that -- Rest! Susan had been quite busy with the needs of her mother in the first half of July so was really ready for this time in Montana. She is feeling much more refreshed now.
Matthew 11:28-30 is an invitation by Jesus to come to Him and receive rest. He also says that if we will take His yoke upon us we will find rest for our soul. The idea of "finding" rest brings with it the idea that we have lost rest for our soul. We are already profiting from this time of Sabbatical in finding rest for our souls. We already sense more hunger for God's Word and more room in our hearts for Him.
Today I called our daughter Michele and wished her a happy birthday. She is 34 today and enjoying life with her husband, Matt, and their 3 children.
We arrived at the cabin on a Monday and I thought we had arranged to leave on the following Monday. When I mentioned that to Susan, she said, "I sure could use more time here." It was on Thursday when I glanced at the schedule in the cabin that I realized we had until Wednesday -- two more days than I had thought. We rejoiced and really profited from the extra days to rest, reflect and be restored.
Sabbatical comes from the word Sabbath, which denotes day of rest. Early in June, our Sabbatical Advisers reminded us that the goal of our first two months on Sabbatical is just that -- Rest! Susan had been quite busy with the needs of her mother in the first half of July so was really ready for this time in Montana. She is feeling much more refreshed now.
Matthew 11:28-30 is an invitation by Jesus to come to Him and receive rest. He also says that if we will take His yoke upon us we will find rest for our soul. The idea of "finding" rest brings with it the idea that we have lost rest for our soul. We are already profiting from this time of Sabbatical in finding rest for our souls. We already sense more hunger for God's Word and more room in our hearts for Him.
Today I called our daughter Michele and wished her a happy birthday. She is 34 today and enjoying life with her husband, Matt, and their 3 children.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Susan & I arrived in Montana the week before last, on July 21st. We spent the weekend with our friends Jim and Linda Fordyce. They treated us to a walk along the Jefferson River which runs along where they live. Lewis and Clark traveled there. The following morning we went to church with them and met many of the friends they have made over the last year. Jim and Linda are really integrating into their community in Twin Bridges, MT. After church we went to the Old Town Bannack Festival. We had lunch there and enjoyed the exhibits and buildings of this historic Gold Mining town. Bannack was the original capital of MT. We also went to Sheridan, MT, where Jim and Linda are building a new home.
Great fellowship with Jim & Linda the next a.m. and then we headed up to our cabin in Fortine, MT. This has been a great time of restoration and focus on the Lord. The cabin is amazing. It is a beautiful log cabin built perfectly, it seems. Great craftsmanship! Very comfortable. We are taking the mornings to rest and get time with the Lord. I usually take a 45 to 50 minute walk to start the day, come back have breakfast and then get the rest of the morning in the Word and Prayer.
In my reading in I Kings 3 a verse jumped out at me. This has happened a few times in my walk with the Lord through the years. This time it was so evident that it startled me. The verse is verse 5 where God says to Solomon, " Ask for whatever you want me to give you!" When preparing for our Sabbatical, one request that I had of the Lord was that I would hear His voice... and I asked others to pray that for me. Well, He spoke to me through this passage of Scripture and His Spirit. Now the question is "What do I want Him to give me?" Amazing! I shared this with Susan and asked her how she would answer that question and she said, "Physical and spiritual generations through our children." In other words that our children and grandchildren would walk with God and see physical and spiritual generations through them.
I love that answer of Susan, and I want that as well. For me, I believe that there is something else that I want the Lord to give me, but it is not clear to me and I can't articulate it yet. I believe this time of Sabbatical will be the time to discover what it is that I want the Lord to give me.
We leave MT and return to KC this week on Weds the 1st of August.
God Bless! Dave
Great fellowship with Jim & Linda the next a.m. and then we headed up to our cabin in Fortine, MT. This has been a great time of restoration and focus on the Lord. The cabin is amazing. It is a beautiful log cabin built perfectly, it seems. Great craftsmanship! Very comfortable. We are taking the mornings to rest and get time with the Lord. I usually take a 45 to 50 minute walk to start the day, come back have breakfast and then get the rest of the morning in the Word and Prayer.
In my reading in I Kings 3 a verse jumped out at me. This has happened a few times in my walk with the Lord through the years. This time it was so evident that it startled me. The verse is verse 5 where God says to Solomon, " Ask for whatever you want me to give you!" When preparing for our Sabbatical, one request that I had of the Lord was that I would hear His voice... and I asked others to pray that for me. Well, He spoke to me through this passage of Scripture and His Spirit. Now the question is "What do I want Him to give me?" Amazing! I shared this with Susan and asked her how she would answer that question and she said, "Physical and spiritual generations through our children." In other words that our children and grandchildren would walk with God and see physical and spiritual generations through them.
I love that answer of Susan, and I want that as well. For me, I believe that there is something else that I want the Lord to give me, but it is not clear to me and I can't articulate it yet. I believe this time of Sabbatical will be the time to discover what it is that I want the Lord to give me.
We leave MT and return to KC this week on Weds the 1st of August.
God Bless! Dave
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
I celebrated the 4th by running in the Lenexa Freedom Run. I finished 4th in my age group of over 70. There were 14 runners over 70. I was happy to be able to do this because I had Hernia surgery 7 weeks ago and couldn't begin to prepare for the race until 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking of running in another 5k this weekend that is connected to the All Star game festivities downtown KC. We're starting to feel freed up of our ministry responsibilities. We sent out our Newsletter Tuesday morning and did our Nav Ministry Report on Tuesday evening, so that should wrap it up for now. I'm getting time in the Word in the mornings, running and taking it easy. I will work some on our Deck and Fence in the mornings before it gets too hot outside. We will be leaving for Montana on the 21st and will be there until August 1st. We will visit Jim and Linda Fordyce for two days and then off to a cabin near Glacier Park that has been made available to us by friends of The Navigators. Dave
Monday, July 2, 2012
Starting our Sabbatical
The official "first day" of our Sabbatical was Sunday, July 1st. Yeah! We had a houseful to begin our Sabbatical -- maybe not the best way to rest! :) Our daughter Mary (from St. Louis) was here with her 3 amazing girls -- Avery, Maya & Holly. They were on their way to Wichita to visit our daughter Michele and her family, and stopped for a day and overnight with us. Our supervisor, Matt Martin, (from New Mexico) was here, also. Dave had driven him to the airport on Saturday morning, but when Matt arrived at the ticket counter, the airline attendant told him that his ticket was for the next day! :) So we got to have him join us for time with family. Dan & Courtney & Annique and Monique joined the rest of us for a picnic at the neighborhood pool on Saturday evening. Yes, it was hot outside, but it felt great in the pool!
Everyone was gone by 3:00 pm on Sunday and Dave and I spent the rest of the day straightening up the house and getting a newsletter ready to mail. We finished stamping and sealing the letters this evening (Monday the 2nd), so that job is done. We wanted to have it finished before our Sabbatical began, but we didn't quite make it.
I, for one, am thankful that we're starting our Sabbatical. There are so many things that I need to get caught-up on. But I can relax and do things as I have time and energy. It's wonderful, because I'm experiencing a deep sense of the Lord's pleasure and love. He is very near.
Everyone was gone by 3:00 pm on Sunday and Dave and I spent the rest of the day straightening up the house and getting a newsletter ready to mail. We finished stamping and sealing the letters this evening (Monday the 2nd), so that job is done. We wanted to have it finished before our Sabbatical began, but we didn't quite make it.
I, for one, am thankful that we're starting our Sabbatical. There are so many things that I need to get caught-up on. But I can relax and do things as I have time and energy. It's wonderful, because I'm experiencing a deep sense of the Lord's pleasure and love. He is very near.
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