And We're Back

Pardon our long absence. The conference season turned into the busy season which morphed into vacation season... and I'm just now getting back to our blog here at PCI.

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I was reading in Hebrews 2 yesterday about the importance of "paying attention" to the Gospel we have heard. "This salvation was first announced by the Lord...." the author begins. "It was confirmed by those who heard Him" and then... "God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit..." (Hebrews 2: 3b - 4).

I found myself thinking about that for a long time last night. This is one of the busiest and most exciting seasons here at PCI. Annually, we welcome a surge of new pastors and planters right around this time. Church planters come out of the woodwork, all aiming for a launch date in the fall. In these seasons, it's so easy to forget how the Gospel has been testified in both my life, and here at Portable Church Industries. Instead of concentrating on the consistent evidence that the Lord moves and breathes in this world, I find myself getting frustrated at Him over things that, let's face it, don't really matter in the long run.

The truth is, I see miracles, large and small, happen almost daily here at Portable Church. We've seen churches rise up from the literal ruin left by Katrina, Rita and Wilma. We've seen pastors given gifts of money, property and equipment when they thought their dreams of starting a church were dashed. We've had truck drivers stop in, ask about our business and begin a pursuit of faith where there previously was none. We've heard stories of great healings. We've seen churches survive when everyone told them they couldn't. There is no shortage of testaments here.

In my own life, I've witnessed intricacies that could have not been orchestrated by anyone else than the One Who Loves Me More Than I Know, the One Who Saves Me and the One Who Fights For Me.

So, my challenge and encouragement to those of you in the midst of a launch is this:

Concentrate on the daily testaments that you will see during this time because there will be many. Write them down, journal about them, blog about them, and don't forget them.

This is an exciting time, but one in which you are at great risk for attack. Stand strong against being pulled into a mess of worrying and wondering and despair. Let Him sustain you, guide you and pull you into a state of wonderment.

Kneel. Stand. Fight. Repeat.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today...." Hebrews 3:13a