I am on the eve of my 42nd birthday. Wow, time flies. I can still remember my 6th birthday party! Making birthday hats out of newspaper and planning a baseball game with my friends with my team obviously stacked with the better players. Birthday parties were always big to me. I guess I liked the attention and the presents. Now, as an almost 42 year old, I am trying to put the brakes on them.
But looking back over the past 42 years, I have seen God’s hand leading me all the way. It is awesome to realize that after all the turns, closed roads, and detours of life, you are right where you are supposed to be.
From Illinois to Green Cove Springs, FL. My parents are from Illinois, but through a job transfer, they ended up in Florida right before I was born. Hearing my parents tell the story, they realize that if they would have stayed in Illinois, their lives (and consequently my life) would have been vastly different. The biggest difference would be in our exposure to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was in Florida that we all found Christ as our Savior.
From Green Cove Springs to Birmingham, AL. I am the youngest of six….and not ashamed to admit, a momma’s boy. But wouldn’t you know that after feeling called to the ministry at age sixteen, I found myself to be the only one of the six who ventured away from home (at least on a long term basis). That journey began in Birmingham at a small Bible college that I had never heard of…and no one else in my family had either. But it was at Southeastern Bible College that I developed a deeper love and understanding of God’s Word…and met my wife!
From Birmingham to New Orleans, LA. After graduating, I was hired as a part-time youth pastor and pastoral intern in New Orleans. There, my wife and I served for seven years with a couple who would become our mentors in life and in ministry. We also had a chance to play a role in the lives and choices of a great bunch of youth…many of whom are now serving in ministry.
From New Orleans to Dallas, TX. A desire for more education took me from New Orleans to Dallas for seminary. There, my wife also got pregnant with our first child. After over four years of trying to have a baby, with no success and no medical explanation, my wife got pregnant…one month after we had health insurance with maternity benefits for the first time in our lives. Without that medical insurance, we would probably still be paying for my wife’s emergency C-section with that pregnancy.
From Dallas to Old Bridge, NJ. I would have never imagined living in NJ, near New York City, for a significant part of my life. After visiting and driving in NYC once in my life, I remember thinking how glad I was to see NYC in my rear view mirror. Well, wouldn’t you know, that God led us there for twelve years of ministry at a great church…and three more boys!
From Old Bridge to Baton Rouge, LA. Our latest move has brought us back to Louisiana where God’s timing and placement seems to be perfect for us. We feel like we are right where we are supposed to be…at the right time in our lives. God is good.
Last year, my family and I were at a family camp in the Adirondacks of NY. We had a chance to hike up Panther Mountain. We had never hiked the mountain before, but it seemed like a fun adventure. And it was advertised as a “moderate climb.” Well, the climb turned out to be more difficult than we imagined…especially with four young boys. There were slippery areas where the rain had turned part of the trail into mud and slush. There were rough patches where it was hard to navigate the trail. There were steep climbs over large rocks. At one point, I wondered if we would ever make it to the top…or whether the climb was even worth it. But when we got to the top, the view was incredible. We stayed for quite awhile just taking in the view of the landscape around us and the area we had just climbed. It all made sense at the top. Our view was better. Our perspective was clearer. And my heart had this unique experience of accomplishment, wonder, thankfulness, and awe.
I think that’s what it will feel like when I get to heaven and get the ultimate “mountain top view” of my life and of God’s story.
