March 2006

A Year Gone By

It's been some time since I updated this blog and in that time a lot has changed in my life.

Most of the changes occurring in outward, physical ways. As far as outwardly good changes go, there are 2 that have dominated, a new job, with more benefits than any previous job, and more success coaching than any previous year.

However, there have also been some changes that most would consider detrimental to my ongoing spiritual growth, primarily the inability to attend regular services at my church due to my lack of transportation.

The Lord has blessed me in unexpected ways though, by providing ways for me to minister to others from time to time, as well as receive from those I trust. This most recent example having occurred just 10 days ago at my best friend's house in Austin.

My best friend, T, and I stayed up until after midnight with his brother K, and our friends A and R, discussing a wide range of spiritual topics. I found it to be an encouraging and uplifting time, as I had the opportunity to bless them all by explaining and discussing the spiritual repercussions of my parent's separation and subsequent divorce, nearly 4 years ago.

This obviously not an area of discussion I would have with just anybody, but it created an atmosphere where I allowed the Lord to expose me to my friends and by displaying that personal vulnerability I was able to bless them and that in turn was a huge blessing to me, too.

The point of these ramblings has been to show that, while the past year could have been a terrifying time and I could have retreated into a shell, until this latest wilderness period has run its course. I choose to believe that I have continued to grow and that that growth is continuing at a rapid pace.

After all, I'm glad God didn't give me any advance warning of what He was planning in my life, or I might have allowed fear to creep in. Instead the blessings continue to flow in the most mysterious of ways.

Praise the Lord!