God's leading

Finally, another chance to blog! The New Year is in full swing and we have been enjoying unusually cold temps.

This will be a difficult blog for me to write and maybe a difficult one for you to read. We have information to share and we're not sure of the best way to get it out to our friends and family. As much as we would prefer to share it with you in person, neither time nor money will permit. So pardon this seemingly cold, impersonal notice - but consider it as us sitting down with you, one-on-one and sharing our hearts with you.

Ever since I learned of Tim's calling to full-time ministry (he felt the calling at age 19, I met him at 20), I have wondered what that ministry calling would look like for us, for our family. Often we have earnestly prayed to God for insight into what He would have Tim do and where he would have us go. For awhile, we didn't seem to hear much in reply. Then, when our journey led us to Arkansas, Tim began to hear the faint whispers of a ministry - one that peaked his interest. A year went by and then Tim took a position as Youth Pastor at our church. While there, Tim felt content to be in that job for as long as God would have him there. But as circumstances under God's direction would have it, that door closed in March of this year. It was at this point that we began the deepest soul searching we had ever known - crying out to God for his direction, guidance, and wisdom. You see, now we were not 2, but 3 - we were a family. As we prayed, those whispers that had once been faint become more audible. The more we prayed, the more we felt the Holy Spirit leading us in only one direction. The ministry that peaked Tim's interest was that of Military Chaplaincy. A professor Tim had in the seminary had been an ex-Navy Chaplain, and had used many illustrations from his ministry. At first, Tim dismissed it - thought it just interested him because it was something new. But now we believe that God planted that idea in his mind much like a seed which, over the course of time, has begun to take root. We kept praying though, but we took the first steps of action. Much like Gideon throwing out the fleece, we put out a fleece of our own. The seminary Tim attends is not accredited, and the Chaplaincy will not accept a degree from a non-accredited school. We were told that Tim would need 3 schools to back-up the credits and degree he is earning. And in 6 weeks time, we got just that. 3 schools willing to lend their accreditation to Tim. So far, Tim has talked with 2 ex-Chaplains as well as the head of the ABA Chaplaincy committee. He has also contacted some of the military branches and notified them of his interest.

We do not know what will happen from here. We do not know if this will fly or if it will flop - but it is in God's hands. We do not know the timing of any of the series of events, how soon they will be happening, or where we will go. We are still praying for God to show us the place He wants us, even if Chaplaincy is not it, especially if Chaplaincy is not it - we want to be wherever He wants us. We will try to keep you informed of the latest. If we could ask one favor of you it would be to please remember us in prayer, we have so many fears and so many questions. But we know we serve a mighty God!

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