In April we were close to wrapping up the first season of the kids' sports program we started called JAWS. We wanted to be proactive in planning for the fall season, so John and I discussed it and decided not to continue developing it this year. Though the kids loved it and we were being blessed through it, a solid income was not one of its perks. As we were in a season of prayer over whether to continue or put it on hold, John got a phone call from an old friend--more accurately, an old friend's son. His mother is the one who told us about Jesus eighteen years ago, and he called to tell John about a job opportunity at his church.
The congregation of about five hundred people was looking for a transformation minister. If you don't know what that is, you're not alone. They were aware of their need for transformation--as we all should be--and left it up to each candidate for the position to define the term according to his unique interpretation. Quite clever, don't you think? John threw his hat in the ring in April, and, over the course of about seven months, they narrowed down the search from fifteen candidates to three, one of which was my husband. I must admit, we went back and forth between wanting the position and wanting to believe we were destined for the foreign mission field yet again, so we prayed daily--and sometimes hourly--that God would make the decision for us. In the meantime, we visited the church and grew to love them and their passion for the spiritual transformation of their members and for the lost.
Days ago, John got another phone call, this time from an elder informing him that they gave the job to another candidate. It was deflating on one, obvious level but liberating on another. We took a day to process and debrief, then, feeling God had made it clear we were to raise funds to be full-time missionaries, we set our sights toward that end. When we heard through the grapevine that the position had been filled in a manner reminiscent of casting lots, we were even more affirmed. But we're not packing up just yet, because there is another phone call involved in this story.
Remember the recreation center where John has been working and where we launched JAWS? Well, they have been transitioning to new management, because the previous administration is moving on to other things. The phone call was from one of the owners wanting to talk to John about possibly taking on more responsibility--basically managing the facility. Moving your family overseas and managing a small town recreation center are two completely different animals, so it took a moment for us to switch gears and consider the offer. However, we have always been aware of the ministry potential at a place like this, so perhaps it's not really switching gears at all. We don't want to presume that our plans are God's plans, so we're listening for guidance on this one. We are in the middle of discussions with the leadership and we ask you to join us in this.
