For the Life of the World

This past Sunday was my last time at Christ Fellowship. The Oaks family is sad but thankful for the amazing work God did. The past 8 years brought more wonder and hardship than can be captured in a single update. Volumes of the battle lines are written in many lives. None of it escaped God's good providence. By faith God will continue the story beyond us.

It began here:

No money or people. Just a group of people in Alabama asking God to move in Georgia.

Repicheep

The Gospel was planted and a harvest grew! I think of the quote from Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader, where Repicheep labors the unknown toward the kingdom of Aslan.

"My own plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws. And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan's country, or shot over the edge of the world into some vast cataract, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise."

Thank you all for supplying the ship and its resources. You did not live here, but your labor yielded much fruit. New believers, restored lives, marriages, hundreds of lives exposed to the gospel and a list of blessings too long count.

Into the Unknown

That's right. We don't know what's next. I will invest the next few weeks helping the Church prepare for its next season. Last Sunday was incredibly beautiful and gut wrenching. Nothing like serving communion with rivers of tears from both sides of the plate. I count it ALL JOY!

Here is a link to the sermon. If you have had unknowns in your life recently it might resonate.
John 15 - Abide
Right now it looks like we will stay here through the spring.
Cannon started middle school today
Mason started high school today.
Chapel starts her senior year tomorrow.
Heather is teaching 6th grade. (AKA - Cannon's friends :))

Thank you for praying for us and supporting us in this extraordinary adventure. There is NO WAY any of our endeavors could have born fruit without the work of the Holy Spirit through you.
Without your support none of our existing labors could have been accomplished. God has used your hands and feet. Thank you for your friendship and prayers across many seasons.
This is just for fun :)

A lesson learned

I chose to preach on abiding as my final sermon from what I believe to be the fruit of our time here. While I still have many more lessons to learn, the greatest work was that of Christ in my own heart. From the very first week (and I would dare say every week throughout) I was driven to my knees beyond expectation. And yet, beyond imagination, God blessed.

I opened my last sermon with this phrase. "Abiding is the process of discovering who Jesus is and who he made you to be." Through this entire process I have found that to be true.

Philippians 4:12-13 "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Pray (Praise)

Please pray/praise for:

Wisdom towards our next calling.
Courage - to rest while we wait.
Christ Fellowship: That a beautiful congregation will have clarity as they discover their new ministry horizons.