I want to thank you for allowing me to review the places, people and passages God has used on my circuitous journey thus far. It has been a rich exercise for me to see God’s faithfulness as I have reflected on the past 40 years. Let me finish up the last 10 years of my journey and then permit me to ask you a few concluding questions.

Places – One of the trends during this period of time has been how God has led me to new jobs about every two to three years since 1998. Most of the changes were due to reductions in staff and in a couple situations, a new opportunity to pursue. For a guy who is cautious about change, He has used these circumstances to build skills to help me be more resilient. He has also used it to make me reexamine how my work matters to Him.

Another set of circumstances He has used during the past 10 years is to move us into the “empty nester” phase. We worked hard to raise kids with a set a set of biblical values – now we have to step back and observe what will stick and become their own personal conviction as young adults.

Every stage of parenting is challenging. When they are very young, it takes all the strength we have to keep up with them physically. Soon, they reach their tween and teen years and the challenge is to keep up with their changing hormones and emotions. Then, we hit the high school/college years when the financial challenges can be daunting. I’m finding there is something to trust God for in every stage of this parenting journey.

People – God has continued to use people in my life. This past November, I experienced grief like I have never experienced before when my mentor, “Stritt” suddenly went home to glory 10 days after we found out he had leukemia. I miss the how transparent he was with me about his own life. He modeled for me what it means to “love God and love people.” We met together one on one to share what God was teaching us and what ministry opportunities we were involved in at the time. He would often call as he traveled just to check in and challenge me to stay in the battle. At his funeral, “Stritt” showed me what 47 years of investing your life in others looks like when hundreds stood up to acknowledge how he had challenged them to walk with God. I will be eternally thankful for God bringing this man into my life!

During the past few years, I have also been able to get closer with a few other groups of people. For example, I’ve been able to serve with some wonderful men on the deacon board.

I’ve met regularly for the last 2-3 years with Bob, Matt & Dan. We have been learning to be transparent with one another and God has been using this increased accountability to show us what it means to be “iron sharpening iron”.

The same has been true with our “empty nester” 2:42 group. What an encouragement they have been to me. Now, five of the guys from this group are working through a High Quest book on His Glory. We are learning to consistently have and share our appointments with God (http://www.highquest.biz/index.html.)

Passages – God continues to use His word to help me to think rightly about Him and the journey He has been leading me through. Here are a few last examples:

• Matthew 28:18-20 – “As you are going…make disciples…” has reminded me of God’s wisdom in this commission…I am to make disciples as He takes me through my journey. It happens in the here & now verses “over there.”
• Colossians 3:23 – I want to do my work heartily because He is the one whom I ultimately serve no matter where He leads me to work.
• 2 Timothy 1:12 – I want to know whom I have believed so I can be convinced to entrust my life journey to Him because He is totally trustworthy.
• Jeremiah 17:5-8 – Has reminded me what a man who trusts God looks like verses the one who doesn’t. I want to be viable and producing fruit when the heat comes.

Questions for You…

Again, thank you for taking a few moments these last few weeks to read about my journey. Now, I want to ask you a few questions to consider about your journey.

• Do you see your life as a isolated event or a “journey” that God is leading you through?
• Can you see Him using people and passages to lead you through the ups and downs of the places He takes you on your journey?
• Who are the Paul’s in your life that have been spiritual fathers to you? If you can’t think of anyone, is it because He didn’t provide one or because you did not submit to one?
• Who are the Timothy’s in your life that you have reached out to help them grow in their relationship with Christ?
• Who are the Barnabas (peer) relationships that you have been able to come along side to co-labor with and walk the journey with together?
• What are the passages you seem to come back to that help you see God more accurately or to figure out what it means to walk with Him as He takes you through the events and experiences He has for you?

My journey has not always been the most efficient direct route but as I’ve looked back, I can see that He has led perfectly. I want to trust Him to faithfully lead me as my journey continues.

Part 1, 2, 3