A New Chapter
Our oldest son, Judah, has become quite the book reader. It isn't unusual for me to come home and find him on the couch, engrossed in reading. A few weeks back he told me, "Dad, books with chapters are WAY BETTER than books without, don't you think?!?"I knew what he was getting at. Chapters introduce new content. Chapters bring with them the excitement and the anxiousness of the yet to be known. Chapters create opportunity for the unexpected and unforeseen.There is something about a new chapter in a book...and in life.New possibilities. New twists. New excitement. New challenges. New clarity.There is a new chapter that our family is headed into. Through a lot of prayer, counsel and confirmation we have accepted a new ministry role. In April we will begin serving as lead pastors for Life Center Baker Campus in Tacoma, WA. Over the past 12 years of marriage I have mentioned to Amber as we would drive through this city that I grew up in, "I wonder if some day Jesus will bring us back to Tacoma..." Throughout the past year we have had a growing sense that our next step would be helping to lead a local church, not realizing that it would happen sooner than we expected. We are excited to serve along side of Pastor Dean and Anne Curry (my Jr. High Youth Pastors!) and love the people of Tacoma and the 253 area code, bringing them the hope, truth and life that we have in Jesus!
Our passion is to know Jesus and make Him known.
I can't begin to put into words how amazing it has been to serve the Northwest Ministry Network for nearly three years. We have worked with the most amazing leadership team at the Network, the world's greatest youth pastors, leaders and students. The opportunity to play a small role in what Jesus is doing across the NW in student ministries and in the lives of leaders has been humbling and an honor for our family. It has been a rich and fruitful season that we will cherish always!One thing that I have learned so far in life and ministry is that as we walk into a new chapter, it doesn't erase the previous chapters - it builds upon them. A long time ago, Amber and I decided that we would allow Jesus to pen the chapters of our lives. Each day presents a new opportunity to try and force the trajectory of our story, or to lean into His wisdom and leading and trust Him as He would order our steps.We have decided to follow Him as He writes this next chapter.