On Friday, November 21, Katie said “yes.”
One reason this post is so delayed is that words just don’t seem to cut it. So I’m going to skip them and let the pictures do the talking. (And a huge thanks to Kelly for photographing!)
One of the many things that I have been privileged to see over the last couple of years is how the practice of law can be used to bring honor and glory to our Savior - not just through the actual practice, but also through the ministry opportunities that God opens up through that practice. Now, the Lord is directing me to my own practice of law and the ministry opportunities that will present.
But that calling will be taking me away from the work that has been such a blessing for me over the past couple of years. That is to say, it will be taking me away from the full-time work with that ministry, as I will be heading out to Fresno, California at the end of this year to accept a job offer. And while I am excited at the opportunities that will bring, it is putting it mildly to say that I will miss the privilege of working with Remember full time.
I’d certainly appreciate your prayers as my life takes a huge turn, and I would be blessed by your continued prayers for Remember. The work will continue to grow and prosper as the Lord opens the doors, and I can’t wait to see what He does through the dedicated people that make this ministry reality.
Therefore, it is with no small amount of excitement (and quite a bit of fear and trepidation) that I announce that my next port of call will be working with Peter Fear, where I will be starting January 5.
What were you doing?
My first - and currently only - experience driving a car with a manual transmission came a few years ago, when the crazy used car salesman was desperate to sell me a little Focus. He was in a unique position; he was forced to butter me up in an attempt to sell me the vehicle, while finding it necessary to be critical enough to save his own life. On the latter he succeeded; on the former, not so much.
[And I still chuckle when I think of the salesman, desperately gripping the handle above the door, telling me "You're doing great!" as I stalled out at a busy red light, and envisioning my poor dad stuck in the tiny backseat desperately praying for survival.]
And now my life is changing gears. My perspective is changing. I don’t need a job to get through law school - I need a career. I can’t choose a job on the basis of inherent coolness - I have to look to the future. My perspective is changing from years to decades.
I’m discovering that my life is not an automatic. And I’m very bad at driving stick. This little perspective shift has left my brain feeling stalled out from time to time, and has certainly caused a great variety of grinding noises as I try to get things moving again.
But this comfort I do have - even in a stick shift, once you get out on the highway, cruising is easy. It’s just the merging that’s hard. Once the course has been set, and the highway achieved, things get easier.
As someone much wittier than I once said–
Soon we’ll be out, amidst the cold world’s strife,
Soon we’ll be sliding down the razor blade of life…
I’m really bad at receiving gifts. Maybe that sounds weird, but those of you that know me are probably nodding, wondering why I’m stating that like some big unknown; sometimes, I’m afraid, it’s painfully obvious.
But I’ve been learning. Learning because it’s also becoming painfully obvious that I’m inadequate on my own in so many ways, and learning because God has put a number of incredibly generous people in my life.
It’s strange, in a way, to be in a position like this - a position of receiving. Receiving requires trust, which I’m not good at, trust that there are no strings attached, trust in the genuine love of the giver.
It’s the position that the rest of the Body of Christ is in; the Body of Christ that I want to serve. They have nothing, these persecuted men, women, and children, and I want to give to them. But I’ll admit I hadn’t thought about what that must be like for them. It is hard, first to be in the position of needing, and second in knowing where to turn. So many give with ulterior motives, and I don’t want to be one of those. Perhaps that’s why it is such a joy to work with those I serve, and to personally gain their trust.
That’s what those that are giving to me have done. I have a feeling none of them - and there have been many recently - would want their names listed here. But if any of them are reading this, let me just say “thank you.” I don’t know how to say it better than that, but thank you for more than just your gifts. Thanks that I can trust you, and that I’ve seen the Body of Christ at work in you - an example of what I want to do with my service to that Body.
Last night I couldn’t help but sit and wonder at the Lord’s amazing power, as I sat with a brother in Christ on his porch overlooking a huge portion of Amman. He spoke limited English, but our conversation was rich and deep – it was true fellowship with broken communication.
Did you know that Uriah was killed only a few miles from where I am today?
Did you know that when the angel of the Lord commanded, “Unto the church of the angel in Philadelphia write…” the letter went to modern-day Amman?
I didn’t. But this brother was from Jerusalem, and his wife was from Nazareth, and her family was from Bethlehem, so he was well acquainted with the history that surrounds us. It makes Scripture come alive to see these places, up close or even at a distance. But it is perhaps even more profound to see the Body of Christ come alive by seeing it at work. We’ve worshiped with them, talked to them, ministered to them, and yes, been ministered to by them. And we share a very common bond.
It’s beyond amazing to fellowship with each one – my conversation with this brother was just one example that I could give. He is 40 years older than I, with a vastly different life experience than any I can anticipate. His language, his culture, his home are so different than mine, but we share a Savior. And we share a common eternity.
Some shots from the last two busy days…
The olive grove that is supporting the hospital we visited today - from the orphanage that this ministry is building.
