1.28.2009
Being married is amazing. I cannot imagine sharing my life with my hot momma. She definitely makes me a better man. Once we got married, my personal craziness began to die down and we were a little more settled. I dug it.
We took a cruise to the Bahamas for our honeymoon, as soon as we got back (the day we got back) Carried sliced open her hand and we spent the evening in the emergency room, it was an interesting start. It was then I knew that our life together was going to be anything but boring. And I was right (can someone remind my wife of this fact?).
We bought a house at the beach, she was a nurse at CHKD in the PICU, I was a student pastor- life was good. Then the chaos began to happen. Carrie was pretty unhappy with her job, the schedule and having to see those kids in pain all the time. She came home one night and this was the conversation:
Her- "What do you think about me going back to school?"
Me- "Seriously?!"
Her- "Yeah. Seriously." (with a hint of uncertainty)
Me- "We can't even make it on two incomes... And you're my sugar momma."
Her- "Well, we would probably need to sell our house"
Me- (voice has now been raised) "What?! We live 6 blocks form the ocean! I ride my bike to the beach every day! I have lived for a moment like this!"
Her- "I know, but I want to happy when I go to work. I want to love my job like you do."
Me- "Well put babe, well put."
And so we were off, making upgrades, fixing our house, putting it on the market. She had already quit working at the time, things were getting tight. Did I mention we had no place to live, a car payment, credit card debt, we both had college loans, and could barely make it on two incomes? God was laughing at us...
Because He knew it was all good.
We sold our house for well over what we purchased it for. Paid off debt, car, college loans, and moved to a little apartment (to be closer to the church I worked at). Then God had a change of plans. For over a year I had debated if I fit. If I really truly fit where I was in ministry. I kept coming back to the word, "No." But I didn't want to believe it.
I wrestled with God, all the while preaching in the absence of our lead pastor who had resigned. 8-10 months later a new pastor came on board and I was still wrestling with those same questions. Now before you read this and think I hated the church I worked at or the people there, let's set the record straight... I love the people I worked with in ministry. I learned more there than I did in Biible College. They really raised me in my ministry development. I owe a geat deal to my family I have back at Living Stones/ Real Life. But, I had come to a place where I looked around and I didn't feel the joy anymore in my heart for serving Him. I began to ask God if ministry was for me? I researched jobs all over the country, pastor positions, IT and web jobs, even looked into ECPI. God closed door after door, until...
I logged on to the Forefront website and saw, "Looking for a Creative Arts Pastor. If interested, please apply." Hhhmmmm, is this a door? Is it just me wanting to move? Is it God speaking or me just being curious? I called, met with Vince, met with the leadership... and a few months later I was on a new adventure- in Va Beach! I had just moved to Chesapeake from the Beach to be closer to work and now I am doing the same commute backwards, ugh!
Honestly, I would drive double the distance to be at this place. I love Forefront. The people, the services, the small groups, service projects, the staff, you name it and I think Forefront really is on point.
In the move, we didn't really know anyone but the staff and during this transition something we never would have expected happened. A pain I had never experienced. It tested my faith and trust. God and I had it out. It wasn't pretty...