Next Stop: Turkey

Lindsay and I will be heading to Turkey in less than two days. Can't believe the time is already here!

Our team of eight Lifepointers will be providing programming support for conference of "workers" from around the country. They have poured their lives into the Turkish people, and this is our opportunity to pour into them and their families. We will be hosted by a wonderful couple, Nat & Abby, who I am very excited to meet.

Turkey is a spiritually dark place (99% Muslim), so the experience will be much more than physically demanding. Pray that our team is covered by God's hand throughout. Pray also for safe travels, health, and focus as we serve. Finally, pray that God's grace would abound as Lindsay and I leave our four kids with her brother's family near Atlanta (some prayers for them would be equally appropriate!). It'll be hard leaving them, but sometimes God calls us to hard things.

I look forward to experiencing another culture and seeing what God is doing in that part of the world.

Countdown to Turkey

Be sure to check out our team videos on my wife's blog! It's worth the couple of minutes to watch...

Roll Out

Enough said.

It's Good to be Home.

Today is a one of significance. Well, technically yesterday, but I digress. Today...yesterday...whatever...signifies my official return to full-time ministry. It's good to be "home."

Since December 12, 2007, we've been mentally homeless.
Since January 6, 2008, we've been officially homeless.
Since March 1, 2008, we've been financially homeless.
Now, as of April 5/6, 2009, we're finally home.

It's been a long road. We've seen God's faithfulness firsthand, and while it hasn't always been a smooth journey, He has kept His promises. I'm overwhelmed by His goodness!

My amazing wife has stood the gap for us and worked full-time for over a year in the face of her calling to be at home with our kids. Thank you, Lindsay, for your selflessness, sacrifice, and love. My kids have endured school and home life with dad. Thank you, kids, for your patience and forgiveness of my faults and failures. I love you all with all my heart.

It's good to be home. Yet the journey continues...

Taxes

I've NEVER been this late filing my taxes. I worked them up several weeks ago, but didn't file because I've been trying to get a couple questions answered by a tax professional.

Wanna know the answer I got?

"Go ahead and file. If something's wrong, you can file an amended return."

Brilliant.

Routine vs. Rhythm

From Merriam-Webster's online dictionary...

routine - 1 a: a regular course of procedure
rhythm - 3 a: movement, fluctuation, or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements

Right now, I'm torn between my responsibilities at home (which are increasingly difficult to focus on) and my evolving role at Lifepoint Church. Truth is, I've been wrestling with this since September when I started the student ministry as a volunteer, then the scope broadened in February to include Kidspoint as a part-timer. I'm counting down the next week and a half until I'm officially full-time (counting faster hasn't worked yet...suggestions?!).

One thing I'm looking forward to about being officially full-time in ministry again after a year off is getting my life back into a rhythm, but not a routine. I used to think of it as routine, but now I know it's actually rhythm. I want my life to be anything but routine...

Things have been so chaotic for my family over the past year, I find myself craving the "natural flow of related elements" I used to have. Those related elements comprise my life, and you have your own set of life elements, too. The challenge is getting those elements to make beautiful music together in a way that honors God.

Ever heard a tight band play live? You know, one that is just...tight? Timing is impeccable, they can read each other's minds, and everything just grooves? It's hard to describe, but you know it when you hear it...and you know it when it's not there. Well, just like that tight rock band grooves together, I want my spiritual life, home life, ministry life, family & friends life, financial life, health life, etc. to settle into that synergistic groove that's been missing over the past year.

Rhythm is underestimated. When you have it, don't take it for granted. When you don't, keep practicing...

Twitter Bug Got Me

In keeping with my very first blog post, I'm now a "twit" - @steven_latham. Yeah, finally got bit by the Twitter bug and gave in to pop culture peer pressure. Now just gotta learn the dang thing.

Follow me! Bet Jesus would say that if He was on Twitter...