Michigan Bound F Train.

Journey.  Not an ending, but a destination.  Parts unknown.  Challenges.  Triumphs.  Tears. Pain.  Joy.  Happiness.  Discipleship.  Friendship.  Relationships.  Trust and Love.  All things that come to mind as the next leg of this journey takes hold of myself and the KKFT.  We have been called to Brooklyn to help start a church here -communitasnyc- and we have learned so much.  Mostly, what it is to be in the will of God.  And that is a challenge.  Following Jesus is not what I feel the american church has led us all to believe.  That if you believe in God and Jesus, that He will give you all you ask, life will be happy, and all your dreams will come true.  If you want to be a loser - do this - follow Jesus' plan for your life.  You must give Him everything if you are to do that.  All.  Everything.  And that my friends is not an easy thing to do.  But it can bring you something that you may not ever fully understand - pure joy.  As James 1 tells us - this pure joy is through the trials of many kinds, and that testing of our faith develops perseverance.  When we go to God and ask for HIS WILL, not ours, and we listen, and then we do what He asks us to do - that brings pure joy.  And along with it, loss and pain of leaving friends, family, jobs, finances, self-preservation, retirement options, love, etc. etc. etc.  But it brings pure joy that is indescribable.  So the next step for us is moving back to Michigan.  We are certain God is calling us to do this, and truth be told, I did not think that would happen.  Nor did I have any type of desire for it to happen - matter of fact, I have been pleading with God to keep us right here in BKLY.  But His will is good.  It is perfect and pleasing.  Not to me, but to His glory.  Forever and ever.  And so I say, Here Am I Lord, send me.  I do not yet know what the future holds for me, for my family, for our marriage, for the new friends I will meet along this journey.  But I do know it is good.  I think of all the great friendships I have forged on this leg of the journey.  All my new found friends in communitas that I never would have met if it weren't for God moving in our spirits and our lives.  All the tough days and the grand celebrations with breespins, herwitz, darth fader, rockinthemike, phamily,  and how am I to live without the Natural Disaster?  Pastor has helped me navigate all of these things since we started meeting at the Romeo Cafe so many years ago.  How will I manage another leg of this journey without him?  All the unknowns don't scare me - as I have learned that the only thing I really need to do is trust God.  With His will.  With everything.  And that is truly the only thing that matters.  All the rest is dung as far as I am concerned.  So in a little while, I will pack up this Michigan Bound F Train - and I will do my best to live this life anew.  My life will never be the same again after this experience, and I have no idea what God has in store for the KKFT or for me.  But I can tell you, it is good, the water is warm, the sun is always shining, and the warm breeze at my back is encouraging me to pay even more attention to serve - that is what God is calling me to do.  

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