Two Blessings

At the Sunday School Christmas party last night my wife and I were talking with our Associate Pastor, Matt, and his wife, Marci. We were getting to know one another a little better. We talked for awhile and stumbled across something interesting. Turns out that back in 1976 my dad baptised his first infant (at Jonesboro Presbyterian Church) shortly after we moved to Sanford, and that baby girl was... Marci, our Associate Pastor's wife! I'm sure I was there back then sitting in a pew, watching the baptism. I must have been thirteen or fourteen. Now thirty-one years later, that baby girl loves Jesus and has given her whole life to serving Him and here we are fellowshipping together. Cool!

A few months ago, I think it was our third time at this Sunday School, the class was talking about raising children (Parents For Christ is the class title) and whatever the subject was it had become somewhat Oprah-esque discussion-wise. Moms and Dads giving their theories on discipline or something. And my mind was starting to drift when Marci threw in a comment that brought us all back to our utter dependence on Christ for successfully raising our children. I've forgotten exactly what she said, but I remember thinking, "Yes! That's It!"

And I was still on the fence one Sunday a couple of weeks later about joining this Southern Baptist church. But Matt shared the message that Sunday and it was so obviously anointed and so obviously a message from God that I decided there and then that we should make Cool Springs our new church home. I don't know their full story, but apparently they were missionaries for awhile in Africa.

God is faithful. I'm really thankful for this couple. Who'd of thought that little baby would end up having an impact on that 14 year old preacher's kid's life? Lead on, Lord.

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Now a quick interesting answered prayer:

I've been in the midst of a job change. I really believe I'm supposed to be working in Sanford rather than 45 minutes away in another town. There are various reasons for this, but I won't elaborate. Well, I was very much needing to have a supplemental job come through to maintain our income with the pending job change. I made calls, sent e-mails, prayed... but heard nothing.

To complicate things a bit, my current employer offered me significantly more money to stay on with them. This confused me. I felt fairly certain God was directing me to the new job, but the finances weren't lining up. A decision deadline was rapidly approaching, too.

Sitting alone in the office at my current job, I was whispering a quick prayer, holding my cell phone in my hand. Tapping the phone on the desk for emphasis I said, "Lord, I don't know what to do". And right as I said the word "do" with a tap of the phone on my desk, the phone rang! I almost fell out of my chair! It was the supplemental job I'd been waiting to hear from. They offered me the part-time position at significantly more than I expected to be offered.

I took it as direction from God - and I'm moving forward with my plans for the job change.

Thank You, Lord. Lead on.