The Land in Between

I'm in the Land in Between.  In the land-between you look back at what God has done and you look forward to what God will do.

What God has done: Last Friday, I passed my classical examination to become a brand new minister in Classis Central Plains (formerly Classis Pella) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America.  Big stuff.  God gave me the ability to answer the questions calmly and confidently.  The trickiest question was the first from Pastor Art: Who are you cheering for ~ Da Bears or The Packers?  Didn't know what to do with that one since my first questioner was a fan of Da Bears and my second questioner (Pastor Jeff) was a Packer-Backer.

Heated rivalry in the NFC North: Windy City vs. Cheeseheads!

 The right answer is neither one: I'm a Buffalo Bills Fan!

My favorite section of the exam was the Biblical section.  Pastor Jeff named a passage of Scripture then I had to tell where it was found, what it meant, and how it related to the rest of the Bible.  I'm grateful that God gave me joy in the moment and strengthened me so that I could clear that hurdle.

What God will do: Next Sunday (Feb. 6) is my Ordination Celebration.  Family and friends are traveling from all over the United States (Florida, New York, Michigan, South Dakota, and Iowa) to join us on this special occasion.  It's going to be great!  Fellow Prison Pastors will extend their greetings to the new pastor of the new prison church.  Music will carry a tone of celebration.  My Uncle Henry will preach the message ~ God's Word is not chained!  Ministers will come forward to lay hands on me.  And I'll finally have the privilege of raising my hands to bless God's People!