Defining Moments!

In the course of our lives there are only a handful of defining moments that significantly impact our direction and purpose and make us the people we are. Let's take Abraham as an example. His story is found in Genesis 11-25. Out of his 175 years of living, less than 20 significant events are recorded in history. Its roughly around one significant moment every 8-10 years. Some of these events are common to most of us: marriage (his and his son's are recorded), births (children and grandchildren), deaths (his father, his wife, other family, his own are mentioned), moving (Abraham did a lot of this). Some are failures (Abraham made some poor decisions that nearly cost him his wife.) Some are victories and successes that richly blessed him and others. But the most significant moments were when God spoke and Abraham trusted, followed, obeyed. Those are the ones that marked him as the "friend of God."

In the last 10 years, the first of June has become a significant time in the life of our family and ministry. They have been times when we believe God has spoken, directed, led and to the best of our ability, we have trusted, followed and obeyed. Let me share three of these:

1. June 2, 2002 - My family and I with the support of family and friends held our first worship service as the Axios Community Church in Holly Springs, GA. The decision to start this church came after much prayer and confirmation through others, circumstances, and His Word. We can recount many stories of how God opened doors (and closed some), graciously provided, and significantly blessed us and others through this endeavor.
   
2. June 1, 2008 - On our 6th birthday, we held our last service as the Axios Community Church in Holly Springs, GA. This was harder than starting the Church. We had put so much of our lives, energy and resources into this work and God was continuing to use our ministry that the decision to close was difficult. But it was clear to me through prayer, circumstances and the Spirit that this was what God wanted and that He had other plans for us. He immediately made it clearthat our next opportunity would be in Denver.
3. June 2010 - After 2 years of what feels like a wilderness experience, God seems to be suddenly moving us forward to our new calling. There have been significant lessons that needed to be learned during this time and God's graciousness of allowing us to stay and care for Pattie's mother in her last days and experiencing greater relationships with our kids and grandkids will always be appreciated and looked back on with fondness. We now have a target date of the first of June to move to Denver, CO. Oh, the things we may do, the people we will see, and the places we will go!

These have been defining moments and this one will set the course of our lives for the next 10 + years but God only hands us a handful of these opportunities in the course of our lives and we are ready to trust, follow and obey!