Sharing a Lesson...

As much as I love being a "stay at homeschool mom" my lessons learned recently have been from church planting. It's so different than anything I could have imagined and I guess you really can't know what it's all about until you decide to say "yes".

Here lately I've thought of myself as a pretty patient and flexible person. Of course, not in my early years of marriage. Matt has helped me with that. When we were first married, I had an agenda for every waking hour of the day. Matt hated Saturdays...I already had the day planned out. There weren't many days that I would just sit and "chill"...I wasn't wired that way. I'm not sure what it was, but I always felt secure if I knew what was next and what I could check off my list.

And then...full-time ministry came along. Being a PW (pastor's wife)...You'll go crazy if you aren't flexible. It's been a hard lesson for our boys to learn. Even vacations and days off had a disclaimer: "We'll go, as long as nothing comes up at church."

Thankfully, Caleb and Cameron have adjusted well. I've never heard them say, "I wish dad wasn't a pastor". Even when our plans get pushed back. They are troopers and I'm very proud. They are great PK's.

So with us being in the ministry for well over 10 years, I thought this planting thing was "in the bag". I read all types of books. I went to Church Planter's BootCamp. I prayed and I planned.

My lesson: I'm not as flexible as I thought I was. I'm really trying. I just have this problem...When I have a plan and it's supposed to go this way, but circumstances take it another way...Well, I have a problem with the "bending".

God is helping me. Why?? Because I asked Him. God needs me to be flexible. God needs me to be my husbands biggest cheerleader. God needs me to keep a clear focus of why I'm here.

Andy Stanley said, "Flexibility is knowing the difference between your vision and your plans. Don't mistake your plans for your vision. Plans change...but your vision remains the same."

I have gone through some encouraging times and some not so encouraging times since moving here. And I know that it's all part of the "learning to bend" process. And I pray that I continue to learn...

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)