Truth that Dares!

The Single Life winter retreat this past weekend was really a wonderful time as we had time to learn, fellowship, pray, and just have some fun together. It was very providential in God's timing that it came this weekend as things had been so difficult for the past several months that I really was in need of some encouragement and the weekend was indeed full of encouragement as there were many, both old and new, who came and made the weekend one that was truly enjoyable.

The message times focused on a number of themes:

1. Dare to Be Truly Spiritual
2. Dare to Hate Respectable Sins
3. Dare to Enjoy Fearing God (Pastor Patrick)
4. Dare to Love God's Way

My hope through the messages was that everyone would really be honest and genuine about where they stood in their relationships with God and the challenge was to really not be complacent or apathetic about it. It was promising to hear that many had taken the messages to heart and I look forward to see the fruit of the application.

Angela and I were quite surprised by the ending of the retreat as Kent Hong came up to share some words of encouragement and present us with a gift so that we could do some things with our family. It was quite overwhelming to have everyone surround us and pray for us. God was truly merciful in encouraging us this way as the past week was one that was pretty difficult in light of recent events. Friday morning of the retreat was probably the most difficult point as I was pretty distraught and discouraged and I think I was at the point where I really was starting to just really wonder why things had happened the way they did. (I know I'm being a bit vague but I hope you understand). My heart was sore (both physically and spiritually) and so preparations for the retreat were a bit difficult to manage all week. But Patrick and JR provided much help and support and the Single Life staff really did their part to make the retreat work out and overall I was just so thankful as I was really a wreck leading into the retreat.

God is indeed merciful as I look back and see how He orchestrates things that ultimately display His grace. I can't help but just really be thankful that God really knows what He is doing and that in time, He brings all things together for good.

Many have been asking about my time off - it's not really a sabbatical but time off from preaching on Sundays and Fridays. I still have much to do with planning things in light of recent changes so it's not as free as I would have hoped for but at the same time it is exciting as God has laid on my heart to really invest in the Children and Youth ministries in laying a vision and direction that will be consistent with an emphasis on Family ministries at our church. So please be in prayer as the next month will really be devoted to developing a vision for those specific ministries.

Thank you for those who pray - it really is the most meaningful thing to me to know that there are faithful prayer warriors who are uplifting this poor undershepherd before the throne of grace.