A Tough Decision Part Two

I still remember the day that I came back and told my wife that I would go and look for a job. We knew this meant that things wouldn't be the same. God was so good to me and I found a job at Sears. I was working in the Lawn and Garden department selling mowers. At first it was part time, but our situation at the church was not getting any better. So when they offered me a full time position with benefits I took it. But what would this mean for the church and my family?

As far as the church was concerned we were now a core group of 25, they were good people but we just couldn't get anything going. The people in the church understood our situation, but because I had to work the church suffered. What did this mean for my family? I have the best wife and understanding children, but this meant I would not see them as I would have liked. My schedule consisted of work days and church days, but no family days. The schedule was wearing on me.

I was now working 40 hrs a week at Sears and putting 15-20 hours at the church. I had no time for family. I was either working or was getting ready for Sunday. There were times that I would come home and fall asleep in my chair before dinner. I had no energy what so ever. I didn't feel it was right to not give my best to my family or the church. So my wife and I prayed.

My desire was to pastor a church exclusively and have family time, we saw that in our situation that was not going to be a possibility. We made a tough decision, we decided that for the good of our family that we would begin looking elsewhere for ministry opportunities. I felt as though I was giving up on these people, but I could not pay my bills and stay in our present situation. So I began sending out resumes.

Have you ever felt like no one knows what you are going through? That's the way I felt, I was not certain that there was a place for us in ministry. But, we let our Superintendent know and he told me that they were going to close the church and sell the building. I had mixed feelings about this decision, but I knew that I had done all that I could in that place. So, I made plans to move my family yet again to where God was sending us. God had a plan, but we first had to make the decision to put our family first over our other obligations.

God honored this decision, and he sent us to Warden A/G where we just completed three years here at the church. There are good things ahead for this church, but we would have never been a part of it if we hadn't made that tough decision.

Put your family first you will be glad you did. We are.