Three Years and the meeting place

 

Wow! It is coming up on three years since I had a dream about starting the meeting place in Bluffton. There has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get this place up and running. During these past three years, we have reached over 180 people at one time or another spreading the gospel, planting seeds with some, watering seeds with others, and harvesting a few along the way. We feel blessed. But what does the future look like for “the meeting place?”

For the past year, Stephanie and I have prayed nearly every day that God would guide our steps. The prayer of Jabez is constantly on my mind:

“There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!’ And God granted him his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

In 2019, we retired from full-time teaching. (Yes, Stephanie went back part time to help us with insurance, but she is re-retiring at the end of the school year.) Our goals then are exactly what they are right now, we want to DO GOD’S WILL serving in his Kingdom. At that time we eliminated all barriers that would keep us from GOING where we were called. We have put NO LIMITS on what our ministry would look like and we still are very cautious NOT to put barriers that would keep us from serving him. 

As we complete three years of this vision, we STILL want to expand our territory. AND we still don’t know exactly what that will look like over the next three years.  We are seeking God’s divine direction. Regardless, we still have the same mission we always have. We want to build up the KINGDOM OF GOD helping others draw closer to Him. 

As of this point our schedule is FULL. We are meeting with 9 different groups, some each week, some a little more sporadically. We are curious how God will expand our territory with this busy schedule. But we know God is always up to something. Our heart lately has been to help OTHERS do what we are doing, going out into the community, doing one-on-one, small group disciple-making. 

I was reading the first two chapters of Acts this morning and wondering about the future:

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’ He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spitit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judaea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 1:6-8)

God alone knows when, where, what, how and why for our future. I completely trust him. If we are called to stay in Jerusalem, we stay in Jerusalem. If we are called to Samaria, we go to Samaria. If we are called to the ends of the earth, we go to the ends of the earth. We just know we will be witnessing to people EVERYWHERE  about the amazing power of Jesus Christ in our lives! 

Please be in prayer that we follow God’s call in all we do! We love him and are blessed!