Business Trip

I took my first "business trip" in a long time, this time to Anchorage. I went to meet with pastor guys, to share my calling and vision for a new church in Juneau. I went to align my heart and ideas with those of other men who love Jesus and His Church; who love the idea of more people coming to faith because of new churches being planted in Alaska and the circumpolar north.

After botching my departure flight schedule (because I'm either out of practice or just plain stupid) I finally arrived in Anchorage four and a half hours later than planned. I then found myself in conversations non-stop, conversations that both inspired and encouraged me.

I conversed with people representing three different churches, churches that are motivated by the Great Commission and are enthusiastic about aligning ideas and resources to partner in seeing new churches get started. It is still amazing to me that when people no longer care who gets the credit, other than God of course, some incredible, other-worldly things can happen. I was humbled to see how we concentrated on what we held in common rather than what we each might have held as distinctives.

And I realized I am not on the resourcing end, but am again in the needing resources end. I am not yet in a position to be a giver, but instead I am in receiving mode. For a new church, and ultimately many churches to be initiated in Juneau and southeast Alaska I need other people's participation, other people's partnership. I am more aware than ever that I need people praying for me, for us, for this region. This new work is teaching me to pray like I never have prayed before, in new fervency and from a position of new humility. It's not unlike when each of my children left our home to begin their adult lives - I couldn't see them regularly, so I learned to write letters each week. And I learned to pray out of a new dependency on God. Empty nest parents learn this because it's what we're given to continue our parenting.

I did make it back home. I stuck to the flight plan. I arrived home glad to see my bride, inspired and encouraged, quite fatigued and in need of a new diet. I arrived home knowing I am not the only person who cares, that there are countless others God has positioned in this area to be the Church.

And again this morning I attended the Bible Study at the State Capitol. God has placed His people in all sorts of places. And I know God has placed Deb and me here in Juneau, so perhaps many more people can  be His people too.

Humility Can Feel Okay

I was humbled yesterday. And I was blessed. I felt and feel okay, better than okay.

I was humbled to be invited to join in with the Alaska State Government officials and workers who gather on early Thursday mornings for Bible Study and to encourage each other. I dressed better than usual. I was the only civilian in the room. At that early hour titles and positions are done away with. Everything on a first name basis. They're there solely because they love Jesus. Upon introduction to one gentleman he asked me, "Are you Debbie's husband?" I was humbled to know my wife gives me credibility. (I should have figured that out long ago.)

I was humbled to enjoy a dinner conversation with Deb and long time friend Shaun McFarlane. How encouraged I was to hear how God is using Shaun to make disciples, and giving Shaun a wider sphere of influence in his church in Anchorage. Shaun discipled my own son back in the day, to my gratitude. He told us old stories, many of which involved our offspring. Some of the stories I wish I had not heard. (Boys will be boys.)

I felt humbled in realizing the kids and coaches at JDHS are freely welcoming me into their world. They are all making my late afternoons (sometimes early evenings) really fun, even as I am still trying to remember how to coach. I am humbled to know that being "the assistant to the assistant" is a right fit for me.

I am humbled to be here in Juneau. I almost feel guilty I like it here so much (like I should be suffering a great deal more than I am, since I'm not suffering at all.) And I am humbled in acknowledging daily that every step I take forward, any movement toward the establishment of a church here is God-ordained, and not Mike-directed. Being humbled is better than okay.

No Presumptions

I was required to fill out a form yesterday, with one question related to "Where am I in our church planting process?" My response was "Don't yet know." "Infancy?" "No where, yet?"

Hanging around Juneau, without a set daily agenda (aside from high school track practice in the late afternoons), is teaching me about prayer. My intellectual assent is colliding with my present experience. I have already devoted entirely too much time waiting for the phone to ring. And I am becoming increasingly aware of my presumptions. I have presumed upon God to respond to my worthwhile intentions with positive and timely cooperation. I acknowledge my impatience.

Yesterday I quickly locked the front door and left the house to run some errands. When I got to my car I realized I had grabbed the dog leash instead of the car and house keys. I had locked myself out of the house, and the car. (I could hear our dog inside the house barking at me in a tone of "I'm embarrassed to even know you.") God gave me two hours outside in the Alaska cold, to chill. Deb later rescued me.

During my two hours of outside time I picked up some trash in the area. I swept our front steps. I played with my phone and sent a silly tweet. I watched an eagle tend to its nest in a nearby tree. And I heard from God.

I heard Him say, "You're spending too much time waiting for the phone to ring. You're devoting too much energy to trying to get other people to respond to your inquiries and overtures. You're presuming upon Me to make things happen in a fashion you want to dictate. Don't you know I have lots of different answers to your prayers at my disposal?"

And I read just this morning, "Yes;" "No;" "Maybe;" "Not yet," and "Not telling you" are all good answers to my prayers, presumptive or otherwise. (Thanks, Scotty Smith.)

And yesterday the phone did ring, and the emails did come. And today I'm hearing, "I will build My church; not you. You don't know what you're doing, but I do. By My grace you're just along for the ride. Be content to be a kite in My hurricane."

Come before Winter, or Never Say Never Again

Monday I finished the last of my moving-in projects. Tuesday I awoke to realize I didn't have a plan. I know I'm here as a "missionary," to plant a church. But as to how to go about doing that, what the first steps should be I didn't know. I paced around for two days. I needed somewhere to go. On Thursday God and I had a bit of a conversation about how to get me around some people.

He asked me the question, "What do you think you're good at?" (Oddly enough my default answer wasn't planting churches.) And it (He) hit me; "See who needs a volunteer track coach!" At ten in the morning I sent an email, and by noon I had a return email and a new gig. I am now the assistant sprints and relay coach for Juneau-Douglas High School. They told me they never turn down volunteers.

JDHS is the "Mariner to the Kamiak," or the "San Dieguito to the Torrey Pines." JDHS is the old school, with lots of history and tradition and an active alumni. The student body is diverse, and the Alaska Native culture is honored throughout the entire building. The school has been an athletic power in Southeast Alaska for years.

The kids and their coaches deal with Alaska-sized challenges for workout space, with each day requiring them to meet up at different venues around town. One away track meet to Ketchikan will require a Friday plane flight down, track meet on Saturday, and an 18 hour ferry ride home, arriving Monday. In Ketchikan the athletes will be housed by host school counterparts. And when we host a track meet our kids return the favor. This is what these kids know, and it's what they do.

The coaches I will be working with are half my age. I'm begrudgingly getting used to this. As always, I intend to play young. I have to remember how to coach. After coaching Lions, Bruins, Mustangs and Knights I thought I was done. But I should have learned never to say never again. I've pulled a Bret Favre; I've unretired.

The Apostle Paul once wrote to Timothy, asking him to come before winter. It was before winter or wait through the long winter to spring and the next window of opportunity. Somehow, towards the end of our own winter, God has given me an opportunity to be salt and light, to get around some people. This latest opportunity comes dressed in crimson and black. It's what the Crimson Bears wear.

Rest

After many days, multiple weeks and several months of moving and transition Deb and I made the decision to devote this past weekend to rest. As in any household there remained for us several things to still get done. But we did not know how tired we've been, how chronically fatigued, until we finally stopped, took a time out and rested. Admittedly, we did next to nothing. And it felt great.

Physical fatigue is one thing. A good nap or two might cure that. But mental fatigue requires rest (and frankly for me some serious exercise I have every intention of getting to.) Spiritual fatigue demands Sabbath. This past weekend we "heard" the words of our Lord saying, "Come away and rest a while."

Deb slept in. I watched a soccer game or two, none of which will be remembered into this week. Deb got caught up on emails with friends and family. I did laundry, since I no longer have yard work to do, (not that I have yet even seen our yard for the snow.) I read my Bible. We both came up for air. We went out for Chinese food. We talked about things other than what to put where. We dreamed out loud and together. All of it felt like rest. All of it felt like medicine for what we did not know ailed us.

Our restful weekend was yet another evidence of God's grace. We now feel rejuvenated and renewed; spiritually empowered to now address the opportunities before us, some of which we can already see.

Now Back to our Regular Programming

We have spent the past month, okay past five months transitioning. We've been consumed with preparing to live instead of actually living. Now we're living again, even as living for us requires some adjustments.

Instead of bearing up in a small hotel "suite" (cubby hole) we're now in our own place. Instead of keeping an eye out for "bad guys" I now keep an eye out for bad bears. Apparently our local black bears are night stalkers. I find their foot prints in the snow in the early mornings while out walking the dog. Whoever thought I'd need to carry a gun just to take out the trash?

Our inbound mail goes to a Post Office box, now several miles from home. Our auto insurance rates actually dropped. We no longer have rush hour. Around here it's more like "rush minute," as we have no vehicle traffic to speak of. At home we now have coin-op laundry facilities. Much is different, but it feels like we've finally returned to regular programming.

We can now find our stuff. Our rooms are set up, and might I say, tastefully decorated. We're developing some routines. Deb and I have conversations about subjects other than what to move where. We're living again. And with increasing frequency I am stopping to look around in any direction to see snow-capped mountains, including the one that starts behind our own place. Eagles have replaced seagulls overhead. God has done some of His most incredible creative work right here in Juneau, where we're now really living.

And I for one am excited to see how the "why" we're living here unfolds.