Unexpected Silence

It has been a long time since we last posted here. Things have been a bit chaotic, busy and uncertain. So, here is an update of what is going on with the Sanford’s.

We were assessed for church planting by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in late August. They have recommended that we move to Lowry and continue in the internship phase, then move into an apprenticeship before taking on the “lead planter” title. This will allow us more time to develop relationships, a team and to begin ministry in the neighborhood before the clock starts ticking, so to speak, on funding and expectations. This is great for us as we “get on the ground” with NAMB’s blessing, but our runway is lengthened as we minister in a place where 10,000+ people have no evangelical ministry in place at all. And should God move quickly, once we are living there, NAMB will advance the title to match the stage of the plant.

In regards to moving, we are still waiting for placement with Apartment Life, but we are making plans to relocate toward the end of the year if no opportunities through Apartment Life are available in Lowry. Please pray for God’s favor and His move among the ownership of the apartment complexes in Lowry so that a placement will open in the next few weeks.

Finally, in the midst of these things, Amanda had to have emergency abdominal surgery last week. She spent the better part of 3 hours in surgery to remove part of her colon that had flipped, thus causing extreme pain and obstructing her bowels. She is recovering, but with it being sudden and major, her recovery will take at least 6-8 weeks. Please pray that she will heal with no complications and that she will be willing to rest appropriately so that she can heal.

We are thankful for all who prayed, contacted us, and have helped us with meals and the kids over the past few weeks. God has shown His love through you.

Hurry Up and Wait?

I have never been one for patience.  I want results yesterday when I start exercising.  I want to be done with projects minutes after beginning.  I am ready for opening day of baseball just days after the World Series champions are crowned.  For the past three years, I have been waiting.  It has been hard in so many ways.

It has been hard to decipher exactly what God is calling us to do.  I have spent countless hours in prayer, study, and in the Word.  I have talked to many people who have challenged me, encouraged me, and even pointed out the negative aspects of this journey.  The hardest part of deciphering has been assimilating all the information into understandable and digestible bites.

It has been hard to examine myself.  This has led to many times of crying out to God to purify, change, strengthen, and reveal to Himself to me.  I know my own weaknesses, strengths, spiritual gifts, failures, and triumphs.  The hardest part of examining myself has been being real with myself and seeing myself in light of Christ in me.

It has been hard to learn enough.  I have spent the better part of the last three years reading and listening to podcasts and seminars.  I have tried to soak up the knowledge of others…people who have been down the same road and are significantly smarter that I am.  Leaders are learners.  I want to be a better leader, father, husband, and Christian.  The hardest part of learning has been reading and reading fast enough and with enough comprehension to effectively transform me into His likeness.

I am not very patient but God is showing me that I need to wait on Him and follow His lead and I am slowly yielding.

Everything is Possible

In the days following God speaking to me, I knew that God wanted me to go to Denver, CO but I was not sure how I would get there, when we would go or what I would do when we arrived.  Everything was possible.  I am currently a youth minister and have been involved in youth ministry since I felt called to serve in that area when I was 18.  Over the next few months I contacted churches, associations, individuals who live in the area and even local seminaries.

The options were limitless.  We could move to Denver and get a job and make a living and keep our resume out for the churches there.  I could apply for the youth ministry and senior pastor positions that were available.  I could go back to school work toward a PhD in New Testament and work toward teaching at a seminary in Denver.  But none of those things seemed to pan out.

Over the coming months, we prayed for clarity and for God to open and close doors.  But all we found were closed doors.  Door after door after door was closed.  God was answering our prayer but not in the way we really wanted or thought we wanted.  After many months of closed doors, someone mentioned church planting to me.  Saying that I would make a great church planter.  All I could think was, “That is not me.”  Church planter was not me.  It had to be God.  I would not have signed up for this on my own.  I was not looking for such a task or position, but God had others plans for me.  The infinite possibilities had been whittled down to one by God over the span of about a year through many closed doors to point us to a door we did not think to be an option.