Praying for God to open our eyes

It has been a little while since I last wrote. I spent my last week as the Youth Pastor at Urbancrest Baptist Church last week. I thought I would be a little emotional when finishing my last week, but I found myself calm and reserved (maybe that was the emotional, for most of you that know me I am not reserved). I have a great excitement for our students and Aaron Taylor, their new leader. I have come to admire him and do feel he will be a much better leader than I was, which is exactly what is needed right now for our students. But enough about that, here is what is going on in our world.

Michelle and I are headed to Hawaii wednesday with a couple of friends. One of those, Allie Kappes, is giving up a year of her life to work with Harlan Nakasome and the Chuukese people on Oahu. Allie decided right after our last trip there to spend a year as a missionary. While there, Michelle and I will be looking for opportunities to meet people and see where God is working. We are praying that God will open our eyes to people He is inviting to be part of a core team for the church plant. Praying we also see where in Kaneohe He might wants us. With 55,000 people there, we want to be where God is inviting us to join His work. I have a few meetings set up with some church leaders in hopes to connect with the Hawaii State Convention. Michelle and I will be looking at possible housing while there also. We also have a couple with us that is praying about moving their family their to work along side of us. We are praying for God to give them clarity in what He is leading them to. Please go to the Father for us this next week and ask God for some God sized moments.

When we get back home, we will be heading out to PA to preach at Ray and Katherine Henz's church. It is their Global Impact Celebration and we are hoping our Father will give us a support partner in this church. Then we come home and I have surgery and will be off my feet for a couple of days. It is going to be a busy couple of weeks.

Pray for us please, I am beginning to become aware at the immense task at leading a church. With each day I wake up, I become more aware at my weakness and my sin. I am realizing that Christ is the only one that can do this and I know what you are saying at this point, so what are we praying for you? I need to stay in this place of needing Christ and not relying on self. I have relied on self for so long, it has become an everyday lifestyle before saying yes to this journey. I find myself in a fresh place today. Having to wait on God to see His plan unfold. God has been so good to us, He has given us so much and prepped us for even more. Pray for some big things in Hawaii.

Shawn

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