Anne and I felt God calling us to something new. So much had happened in a few short years. The financial struggles as our small business floundered drove me into God’s loving, gentle arms. Then, the floodgates of God’s blessing opened as we sold the business on the same day that I got offered a great job minutes from home.
Life was good. I was banking an excellent income for the first time in years. I loved my co-workers. We were hammering down debt. We had winter holidays, a new car, tasty food and wine, lifelong friends, a great church, and happy kids living the normal middle-class life. But I had been permanently marked by God. The passion for Him started to grow even stronger. We needed to follow Him with abandon.
It didn’t make sense. Every responsible cell in my body screamed in terror. We'd spent years in the desert. I’d prayed fervently for the rains to come. And now we were soaked in blessing and we were considering leaving everything because we felt God beckoning.
And that’s when I found myself sitting over a plate of bacon and eggs at Cora's across from my close friend, Jim Tice. I told him of the rumblings in my life -- that I was thinking of doing something radical.
“I think you need to listen to God saying ‘just trust me,’” said Jim. His eyes were wide. "And I don't usually hear from God for other people like that."
It was raining when I left. I scooted down the path and cut through parking lots to my office. Something inside me, I think it was God speaking, prompted me to pull out my iPod. I swiveled around to a new album Anne had purchased that I hadn’t listened to yet. It was from Jesus Culture, the Bethel band.
This was the first song I heard. I cried, amazed that God saw me and would speak so clearly. Alone in the elevator, dripping wet, I lifted my hands to heaven.
We’ve reached the midway point of our first year at Bethel and it’s decision time again: What next?
We sacrificed a lot to be here. We sold our house. Our bank account is solid. We're budgeting carefully but it's always dropping. The "responsible" cells in my body are getting antsy. They've been here before.
It was our first day back at school after the Christmas break. Worship is a key component of every afternoon of class. I took out my journal, planning on finding a quiet corner to sort through our plans -- maybe to think away the growing worry. And anyway, worship has been a tough place for me lately. I prefer being alone and quiet with God.
But a small voice inside me prompted me to drop my journal on my chair and make my way to the front of the auditorium full of 1,200 students. There's plenty of time to write, I thought. It's time to worship.
As I wiggled my way through the crowd to the front, I heard the familiar guitar riff start the first song.
So I stopped. And I raised my hands to heaven. It wasn't raining this time but my cheeks were wet just the same.
I have a plan for youI don't know what's in store. It's scary, just like it was the first time around. But this time I know even more of God's goodness. He still sees me and I see Him even better.
It's gonna be wild
It's gonna be great
It's gonna be full of Me
I wouldn't trade these last few months for anything. My family is reborn. My faith has exploded.
I know the next step will lead us even closer to Him and it will be just as good. Let it rain.
I'm crying as I read this post Andrew. So good. :) You did the most brave thing a family could do and your family is already showing the fruits! Even your son, wow! He's so on fire for Jesus and hearing Him speak and it's just an amazing testament of who his parents are and what they did to make life BETTER for their kids and their kids kids! Well done, guys!
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