It's So Hard to Say Good Bye

I turned 37 years old this past August. To some that would make me a young man, to others I am old. It is in a moment like this, however, that I am left to ponder about the life I have lived. Of my 37 years, I have lived 33 of it in Minnesota. I love all the seasons we experience here. I am a proud Minnesota sports fan, and I have learned everything I know about ministry from some Awesome Minnesota teachers and pastors.

Given this information, you can imagine how difficult it is for me to say good bye to 33 years worth of memories, family and friends. Our family has learned the value of community, and have invested deeply in others while letting them invest in us. That makes a move like the one we are preparing to make more difficult. We have experienced a mix of emotions from those we know and love. Most people are supportive of what God is doing in our lives, but saddened by our absence in their lives. Please know that we feel the same way. Our kids are in a great school with awesome teachers, support staff, administration and classmates. We have an awesome church home, and the families we have ministered alongside for the past fifteen years. We have a large extended family in Minnesota, and so many people we have touched as a result of my ministry and Jean's endeavors in the disability and educational community.

For all the reasons above, I can make a valid case as to why it makes no sense to move away. But I can't escape the open doors that are available to us outside of Minnesota. I am 100% convinced that this is move is God's will for our family. It will not be without it's obstacles and difficulties. We face the possibility of living out of a motorhome and having to homeschool the children for a time. We don't have any definitive direction yet. But for us to stay in Minnesota would be to disobey the Lord and His plan for us. We have dedicated our lives, our marriage, our family, and our ministry to following the Lord and submitting to His ways over our own. So, thanks for all that you have been and done for us. We will be back occasionally and we may end up back in Minnesota in the future. In the meantime, lets enjoy the time we've had together and still have for a couple months, and pray for each other.

God Bless!