The Sabbatical Journey

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Incognito

Being back home for a while has been great! Have been striving to not be back quite yet - to stay incognito - which is pretty difficult in our small town!

OK, I haven't exactly been very icognito either . . .

I had to sneak in to see the closing of VBS - it was amazing! 400 Kids - 200 volunteers - amazing encounters with God through song, story, crafts - and most of all the love of so many connecting with kids!
I snuck into the office to discover about 500 golf tees all over my office put there by a departing staff member! I can't pull out a paper towel without discovering another golf tee! I will get even . . .
So I went to Coast Guard on the Midway and for the fireworks - with 50,000 of my closest friends and most of the congregation from SLWC! It was so good to run into many of the family.

It's a hard thing to not connect with people you love!

Friday, July 27, 2007

This Week's Prayer Requests . . .

1. Pray for coaching experiences I will be experiencing throughout the month of August
2. I will be spending time with my newest D-Team (Leadership Discipleship group) at the Leadership Summit - August 9-11. Pray for a deep connection for this team of 6 other men
3. Pray for a sorting through of potential resources, experiences, and dialogues I could yet engage (or not) in these final days of the sabbatical journey

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Back in the States

After a wonderful time in Split, Croatia with our friends, Kent & Cheri Pickslay, we flew to Vienna, Austria. Our adopted daughter Regina was also flying into Vienna so after settling into a hotel (an "Airport Hotel" which was 45 minutes away) we ventured into the city for the evening - it was amazing!

Wednesday morning we traveled to the airport to begin our trip home flying to Washington D.C. and then on to Indy where Julie, Jamie, and Evee were waiting for us!

Evee was so depressed without her Papa

Evee content in her Papa's arms

She's so happy now!

We will spend a couple of days here in Indy then head back to West Michigan to begin Block 3 which is focused on coaching and processing insights learned and needing to be integrated into life ahead. Should be a great part of this Journey. More details to come.

Friday, July 20, 2007

This Week's Prayer Requests . . .

Transition back to the Midwest . . .
1. Final days in Croatia with Kent & Cheri Pickslay
2. Times of debriefing Block Two
3. Travel on July 24-25
4. Time in Indy with Evee, Jamie, Clint and Julie
5. Preparation for Block Three

Thursday, July 19, 2007

More Thoughts From the Middle . . .

Here are some BIG THOUGHTS at the midpoint . . .

Gratefulness – I still can’t believe that my church loves me enough to grant me this time away and that we have an amazing team to make it all work!

Grace – I’m overwhelmed at how giving God is . . . How forgiving . . .How loving . . . How caring . . . How amazing!

He is my Shepherd. He chooses this. He cares for my needs. He makes me lie down. He leads me. He restores me. He guides me into paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.

I have more clarity of call and calling.

I love to grow – this has been a wonderful time to think and process and write and journey deeper with God and His mission assignments for my life.

I’m so grateful for people – the church – who seek to be used by God to make a difference in hundreds of little and big ways.

I’m so thankful for a group of men and women who team to lead this adventure we call SLW – people who partner with each other, with me, and most importantly with God.

I love being married to Gwen who loves me in spite of my obvious warts (working through a couple of long-standing warts of mine while here in Croatia).

My passions are growing and renewing for God and His passionate love for this world.

I’m thankful for His faithfulness – and hundreds of other small thoughts . . .

Hey – check out Gwen’s Blog to catch her personal reflections on my first Middle Thoughts Entry at http://www.gwenjackson.blogspot.com/ or touch on the link under my face to the right.