What a week

Amie and I enjoyed immensely our time on St. Simon's this week. The minister's institute was one of the best events like it I have ever been to. The sessions were practical and inspiring and the schedule was restful, but still productive. We met a lot of great people that you can tell will be friends for years to come. On the rest side we spent one night walking a couple of miles on the beach in the dark. Amie was freaking out the whole time....I loved it. We also got to go up in the light house and see Christ Church, Charles Wesley's first ministry in the colonies. The location of the camp was cool because from that property lumber was taken to make the U.S.S. Constitution. The island just felt historic. It was great. We ate at a great place called Coastal Kitchen. It's owned by Phil & Debra who are some new friends. There son is on the soccer team I co-coach. Thanks Phil for the heads up...the place was incredible and the Asian Soy Calamari was one of the best things I have ever tasted.

The week was refreshing spiritually as well. One thing the speaker, Dr. Mike Rakes, said was that God led them into church planting to kill them. I loved that. He said it was there that God killed Mike and brought to life the man that God desired for him to be. After that service Amie and I went walking on the beach. We could tell there were plants all over the beach left by the tide. We weren't sure what they were because it was so dark. Finally I went up and stepped on one of these piles of sea matter. To my surprise it lit up like fireflies. I went to another and stepped harder this time. The light given off was even brighter. I found out later that it is phosphorus being given off by the matter in the sea plant.

It made my thoughts go back to Mike's words. My prayer now is that God will crush me...my plans...my agendas....my desires and that in doing so His light would shine forth from my life and the life of the ministry I'm privileged to lead. I want people in their darkness to get a glimpse of light of God's reality and that it would surprise them and cause them to seek out "what was that!".