Anniversaries...

Since I moved here, I have been thinking a lot about what my life was like a year ago. When I started at Grace in mid-July 2007, a year before that I was wrapping up my internship in campus ministry in Saint Louis, a job and place I dearly loved. Then it was back to seminary in August 2006, beginning what I like to call the year of Advent...waiting...to graduate and begin ministry as a Pastor.

As we entered the church season of Advent this past December, I was thinking about how in December 2006 I had just completed many long and detailed forms describing who I was as a person and as a pastor. Those were the forms that would be sent to prospective congregations (which turned out to be Grace!). When I finished them I had no idea who would be reading them and where they would be reading them.

While we were in the midst of Lent this February and March, I passed the year anniversary of being assigned to ministry in the areas of either Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin. Then I found out I was assigned to the Greater Milwaukee Synod, and the weight of uncertainty I'd been carrying all year began to lift.

Then on April 6, 2007 (a year ago this past Sunday), I made my first trip up to Grafton. I met Pastor Paul, Karen, and Sue. I got a tour of Grace and Grafton/Cedarburg. And to think- exactly one year after that I was standing in the pulpit and preaching.

All this is to say that we never know where God is taking us. We can't predict the future, no matter how hard we try. We don't know what is going to happen. But looking back on my life always helps calm my questions and anxieties about what's coming. God has brought me along this far- what would make me think that God would abandon me now? Even though God is with us all the time, somehow it's easier to see God looking back than in the moment or looking forward.

As I was writing this, this song came on my iPod which I thought was appropriate:
"You should know wherever you go, if your head's in the clouds or you're stuck on the ground, you have my committment, whatever I can do, there will always be room in my heart for you. You should know wherever you go, I'll be waiting here...You should know wherever you go, anytime of the day and reason at all, you have my word, whatever I can do. There will always be room in my heart. You should know, wherever you go...there will always be room in my heart for you. "
~"Room in My Heart", Storyhill.


Where were you a year ago? How was God working in your life?