Wednesday, September 7, 2011

I quit!

Yesterday was a really tough day.  I woke up with a badly pinched nerve in my neck and had to call out of work.  When I called my boss at the hospital, I told her I quit . . . sort of.  To be more accurate, I asked her to hire someone else to fill my full-time position and switch my status to part time.  Why?  Because it's time for me to get out of the boat.

You know the story in Matthew 14 where Jesus walks on water and Peter tries it too?  Seems like everyone always talks about how Peter had small faith when he saw the wind and the waves, then he started to sink.  What nobody seems to talk about much, is that Peter was the only guy in the whole boat who even had the guts (faith) to try and get out of the boat!

I'm that guy.  I'm done giving my first and best thoughts and the majority of my time to St. Francis Hospital.  I have nothing against the hospital.  It's a good place, but God has called me to lead Freedom Valley Church.

Taking the job at the hospital was a great step for me.  Working a job in addition to pastoring the church was my greatest fear ever since I decided to plant the church.  I had to overcome it.  But like many things in life, what used to scare me has now become my crutch.  It's time to face my next big fear . . . trusting God to provide what I can't see.

So, I'll probably work full time hours for the next few weeks; until they hire someone to replace me.  Then, it's part time work at the hospital and increased hours working for the church.  I'm asking God to increase my faith and increase our church finances so that I can begin to pick up some pay from the church again.  But that's not guaranteed.  That's not what this is about.  It's about overcoming fear.  It's about being a leader that people can follow on a journey of faith.  It's about getting out of the boat.  

Of course, this is just the latest boat God is asking me to get out of.  There will be more.  But, for now, I would love to have your prayers.  You can follow me on this leg of the journey right here.  I'll keep you updated.