Hope Unquenched. Hope Undeterred.

My glowing pregnant wife and I

There have been many times in my life when I have not understood what the Lord is doing.  I have spent many hours wondering if I made wrong choices or missed certain callings.  Did I not listen to Him as He led?  Was I supposed to take another direction?  Did He lead me here to this place or is He just making the best of my own mishandling of His will?  For those of you who believe in complete sovereignty, I am sure you are saying that I am exactly where I should be because I can never be outside of God's sovereignty but there are times I just don't know.

Me and close brother in Christ

I feel so very deeply in my heart that my life should be immersed in active, full time ministry and missions.  My every moment should be lived reaching, teaching, and preaching the gospel of my Savior to the lost and the fold.  My heart desires to be in Spain with my brother, his wife, and their daughter to sweep the nation of Spain for Christ.  My heart desire to sing His praises at the top of my lungs with the fullness and completeness of my soul.  I am never more at peace than when I am in direct ministry for my Lord.  I have never seen my wife more at peace than when I am leading for the Lord and we are sharing in ministry together.

My wife and I ministering to migrant children

For the past couple weeks, my wife and I have been taking birthing classes.  As I consider this tiny life that is about to be here in our arms, I consider who I am and who I want to be to my child.  I spend hours thinking about the witness I am going to give to my son and future children.  Will he see a man who was 100% sold out for Christ or a man who always desired to be 100% sold out for Christ?  Will he see a father who loved and led his mother with the love and leadership of Jesus or will he see a man who never quite loved his mother the way the Bible leads me to love her?

Worshipping on a youth trip

I look at the debt we have acquired through student loans, mortgage, car loans, and more.  I keep wondering how we are ever going to climb out of this debt we are in.  We have worked hard to climb out of poor financial choices made early in our marriage and yet we have so much farther still to go.  I want so much to live in full time ministry and yet there are so many times that I feel I will never escape this burden I'm buried under.  Am I using this burden as an excuse or is this burden being used to teach me complete faith in Him?

Me with a couple of the horses at my job

I don't in anyway want to minimize the many amazing things God has put in my life.  I am so thankful to be at the job I am at.  They have been a life saver to me in the way they have loved me, taught me, and enabled me to be a part of ministry while also learning service.  I am so thankful to have remembered what it means to truly worship again through my job.  I feel like I have been able to worship freely and completely before Jesus for the first time outside of the piano in my home through leading chapel.

My son Samuel

I am so thankful for the unexpected blessing of a young adult ministry I never even dreamed of.  The Lord has blessed me with young adults who truly want to live for Him.  I have been so inspired by their commitment to learning and growing in their walks with Jesus.  I have been blessed by the conversations I have been privileged to have with them.  I have been touched by getting a glimpse of the mighty way God has been working through each of them.  I have been challenged by the opportunity to touch hearts that are distant from Him.

Oh the family pictures of yore

I am thankful for a church that honors God in their music, their preaching, and in their love.  My wife and I have had a hard time finding a church that met our needs since we moved here.  I am thankful for what we learned from each church since we have moved here but my wife and I have been missing out on the love and fellowship of people in our life station.  It is so wonderful to relate with someone who understands where you are and being able to also share a common love of Jesus with them.  I have enjoyed learning, fellowshipping, and growing throughout the short time we have been at this new church.

My wife's family

Finally I am incredibly thankful for my wife, who is carrying our son, and the wonderful love she has showered over me.  I shutter to imagine what my life would've been without her.  She has made me a better man in Christ through her strong faithfulness, love, and grace.  She is going to be the most wonderful mother to our child and I am so thankful that we are embarking on this adventure together.  I am also thankful for the wonderful brothers in Christ the Lord has surrounded me with.  I never believed that I would ever meet a friend who loves me the way these brothers do.  I honestly never believed brothers like this could exist but God showed me His love through them.  I also am so thankful for a Godly family that prays for us, encourages us, and actively loves on us.  I would not be here to day or even writing this blog if it were not for my family.  They raised me in the truth of Jesus and are the ones who laid the foundation for me being the man I am today.  I can't imagine my life without each one of these dear people that constantly remind me of the love God has bathed me with.

My wife and I with my best friend and his wife

I want to end this blog praising God because He is surely good!  I am thankful for every opportunity I have to proclaim His name and I am hopeful that one day I will have the opportunity to minister for Him in full-time ministry and missions.  I look forward to the day that I will get to minister next to my brother in Christ in Spain.  I look forward to the opportunity to preach and worship within a church the Lord has lead me to or given me the opportunity to speak in.  Until the day these hopes come to fruition, I will continue to be faithful to Him daily.  I will continue to be thankful for each opportunity He gives me to grow, to lead, and to minister.

Blessings,

Greg

My wife and I feel an intense calling on our lives for missions and full-time ministry.  We have created a fundraiser to help us overcome one hurtle to us being able to go to the mission field.  I pray that you will take a moment and check out this link.  I thank you for your consideration and ask that you seek the Lord's guidance in considering contributing to this fundraiser.  Thank you.

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=3437&url=roadtofreedomforproclaimingchrist