10 Years

I know, I know, it would seem I have too much free time.  Not really, I'm just thinking a lot these past couple of days.

If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be at East Carolina University today, I would have told you you must have gotten ahold of some bad drugs.  Moreover, if you would of told me the love I would have for this university, I might have written you off as a lunatic.

This past Wednesday my family celebrated 10 years of ministry at ECU.  Honestly, when we came we believed God was calling us here, but we came grudgingly.  Not that we didn't want to come, we were excited.  It was new.  It was exciting.  But it wasn't long before I decided I wasn't sure I wanted to be here long.  In fact, after less than a year there was a door opened for me to leave, but I felt strongly we needed to give it some more time.

The second year I made a commitment to stay until that incoming class graduated.  Three years into that commitment I was spent.  I wanted desperately to leave.  In fact, I had a couple interviews, in Ohio and Illinois.  When Connie left for Ghana in November 2002 we shared with her our hope to be gone by the time she returned in July 2003.  That summer I shared with the CCF staff I would be leaving before classes began.  But God had another plan.  He shut the doors on both opportunities.

So, just before classes began in August 2003 I had a "heart-to-heart" with God one night in my backyard under a starlit sky.  I was angry.  I cried.  I yelled.  I pouted.  I did not want to be here any longer and didn't know what to do.  Realizing that we were here, and remembering that five years before Suzanne and I prayed and sensed God calling us to ECU, I told God that if this is where he wanted me/us, then I would be committed to ministry at ECU until he led us somewhere else.

That year God brought in a group of wonderful students who began to take ownership of the ministry.  God began to change my heart.  The ministry began to grow, doubling in size over each of the next two years.  Connie returned from Ghana and after a semester came on staff at ECU.  Since then I have fallen in love with ECU and the students here.  I love the Purple and Gold, and call myself a Pirate.  More important than anything, I love what God is doing in the lives of students at ECU, and am blessed to get to be a part of it, and a part of the lives of the students.

Don't get me wrong, I've loved college students all along, I just had a hard time being here, far from our homes, friends, and families.  It was hard, but GOD IS FAITHFUL!  Thank you for allowing us to serve on the AWESOME campus!

As I wrote this I realized I was at ECU for three years before I owned my first item of ECU apparel.  Today I own enough Pirate apparel to wear purple and gold every day, if I choose.  AMEN!

The point...Sometimes we may not see what God is doing.  It isn't always what we want.  But if we will surrender our will to His, He is faithful.  He can be trusted.  He will change our heart and align it with his, if we will just let Him.  If we will not be so locked in on our plan as to allow Him to use us, even when we want to run and hide.