March-ing Onward

Ok, so if you didn't see, my last blog was about the main factors of the past two months of my life at Murlough House. Those are the talking points but the thinking points have come in and amidst these events as well as looking forward past them.

It is interesting to be in the midst of activity and a busyness that you enjoy, and yet have an under-girding sense of foreboding, or uncertainty. March has been a fantastic time, including busyness with the team I got to join with. I spent 10 days with a group of 14 from Cincinnati Christian University and was blessed to join with them in ministry. While getting to join with, and lead or guide their experience while letting the Lord lead and grow them in the way he longed.

To be able to assist, look over, talk through, and challenge them in certain situations or on specific thoughts was a joy. It has increased my longing to help lead in a position where I can be of influence for Christ in a large age group. I immensely enjoyed getting to know and have fun while trying to challenge the young ones we met in the park, through the high schoolers we met as well as normally minster to at Crosspoint; and then to challenge lead and long to grow collegians in their faith and walk with Christ is an incredible blessing. The combination of ages and ways needed to infuse growth and challenge thought processes felt like I was in a place where i can use all my gifts in one setting.

Soo that led to thinking in times of reflection with the group an interesting series or train of thought. I am surprisingly reaching nearer and nearer the end of my time here at Murlough. While this place will ultimately always have a special place in my heart and I will most definitely visit here again, my time here at this juncture in my life winds down. I look forward to what God has next, with some trepidation and nerves but knowing that God has His plans in store. He is continually calling me to stand firm, to not fear and to move, better yet march ;) forward.

I am still not sure of the direct path that I am taking, but I know that the narrow fork i am taking is along Christ's path. Serving him faithfully in an avenue that he knows i can be used, even if i feel as though I am at this point ill equipped.

The times sharing with CCU and seeing God's love move, and affect the community in ways where even the spiritual attacks were blatant and obvious excited me. To see God move around me and to have a leadership role while that was happening was a joy. That in congruence with different aspects and opportunities God has brought my way these last two months have allowed me confidence that I will be able to be successful in the next step. The uncertainty comes in when choosing from one or two options that I have coming at me. I cannot wait to see what God does in my life and through me in the next step.... but I'd rather be there and past the decision making point.

This is the point where Trust, movement and belief that God is in control and its my life given to him is the biggest point. Fear, doubt, shame and uncertainty come from attacks of the devil. My friend has a saying of "never be afraid to trust an uncertain future to a known God" and that "we are all looking for certainty, but we live in an uncertain world" we are longing for a piece of God's peace. Something that we can get glimpses of, but we wont get to rest in it unless we more and more fully give up ourselves and worries to Him.

The Lord has been showing me through Gideon's life lately how that our doubts are not big enough to stop the Lords work. He is mighty and powerful and majestic in all his ways, and it is not dependent on me other than my surrender to HIM.

So now I look forward to March, marching on and to life continuing that moving walkway that seems all to fast sometimes and other times seems like your not moving fast enough. But the Lord's plans are far and above mine (Jer 29), and all he requires is to walk faithfully with Him (humbly, loving mercy, justly), and he will reward our paths as we draw near to HIM.

SO thats where I am, being asked to march foreward. I am excited and nervous to be moving.... so pray for me and the next decisions of where, and what I will be doing HIS work.

Last 2 months in 2 minutes

Sorry it has been a long while bloggos. With returning to Murlough and settling into the routine again and having a couple things added in... I've just been lazy in getting back into the blog. It happens, no excuses needed, but I am back to think on stuff that has happen in these last two months, and with less than two left in this Murlough House leg of my journey.

Quick recap to catch you up
- Returned to Murlough Jan 20
- Resumed normal routine of Dundrum Crosspoint ministries and football work with the Tollymore team
- Added in a great and God sent bonus of being a keynote speaker for a local high school Scripture Union. Four sessions on God's love and what it means and what we think on it. amazing time of fellowship and digging into God's love and its base and how we go forward from there
- My Mom visited for a week end of Feb, fantastic time!
- March madness-> 4 American teams staying at Murlough within 2.5 weeks, 60 people in all, 50 in the house at one point during a week.
- Leading and guiding as a Murlough liaison for the team from Cincinnati Christian University
- Tollymore is fighting for the league championship with 4 games to play



So there is the update on what has been going on, feel free to as me about specifics of how things went!