Survey Trip Reflections 

Katrina and I just returned from our survey trip to Chicago. We connected with a bunch of leaders involved in different ministries and job opportunities up there – just about everyone I’d been connecting with for the past two years were on our two week schedule.

As a church planter, there’s only a few ways to make a living (in no particular order):

1. Work for a church planting organization.

2. Work for an established church, either as a “church planter” supported by the congregation, or doing church planting as part of your pastoral duties.

3. Get a job in the workforce.

All of these have pros and cons. All of them are being considered/prayed through right now by yours truly and my beautiful bride. I’m waiting on hearing back from several groups, and I know that now this whole thing is in the Lord’s hands. For three years we’ve worked toward what I’ve described as a “calling” to Chicago. If everything fell through right now, I’d be okay; I’d know I worked hard to check every “open door” we felt drawn to.

I’ve heard that sometimes one spouse hears a specific call, but the other spouse hears the timing for that call. As we’re considering all this, I’m really listening carefully to what Katrina is saying regarding timing.

What makes sense in the midst of all this discernment? I KNOW that the Lord has called me to Katrina. Before Chicago, before jobs, before ministry…she comes first. My calling to her is real, and now. This process of discernment has propelled me to love her more than ever, and to appreciate how the Lord has gifted me with an amazing woman. Everything else could fall through, and as long as I was still with her, it would be enough.

Please be in prayer for us during this important time of waiting and listening.

If you’d like to see photos of our trip, you can check them out here:

dsc06425.JPE

Share