GREAT is HIS FAITHFULNESS

There are so many times in this post-prison journey where I am in utter awe of God and how He works out His perfectly designed plan for our lives—often in spite of us.  So for more than a year now, I find myself in numerous settings thinking ‘Only God!’Today is another one of those days, as I am writing this from the beautiful town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania (and writing hastily I might add)!  You see, we are between sessions of a conference called Catalyst: Practical Leadership Up close.  And our executive leadership staff is here.  And once again I have one of those moments as I type the word ‘staff’. Yes, only God!I still can’t believe how God has blessed me as the Team Leader of Student Ministries in a growing and thriving church, and under the influence of strong godly leaders.  So here I sit with Pastor Matt Stokes and our entire elder board--Pastor Sal, Billy Walsh, Dan Noble, and John Shirk. And tomorrow we have the privilege to hear Pastor Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel offer their wisdom as it pertains to church leadership. Yup…Only God!And if that wasn’t enough--as God would have it--our conference site is right around the corner from my Uncle Tom and Aunt Roe’s award-winning restaurant called Country Table.  And in true Italian form (yet deep in Amish country), they graciously (and generously I might add) hosted us for a delicious lunch--and even better conversation.  In fact, it was another God-designed meeting because much of the insight and wisdom that was shared by them reinforced the many topics and areas of concern that any growing church would have.And if you know my Aunt Roe, you know she lights up a room and is full of wise and discerning Roeisms, that  truly kept coming up long after we left the restaurant.  So thank you Aunt Roe and Uncle Tom for your delicious food and down home hospitality, but more importantly for giving me just another ‘Only God’ moment to revel upon.