Be Strong and Courageous

Joshua 1:9 tells us to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Sometimes that is easier said than done, right?

Almost 30 years ago, Brian and I set out on our journey together. We thought that journey would be serving local churches in our home conference and soon we settled into the life of an itinerant Methodist minister. However, one day as we were strolling along we rounded a bend and discovered God had other plans…academics. Two degrees later, we began settling into the life of an academic administrator and professor.

Several bends and curves have come along the way; however, we were never anticipating a diversion from the path. Now we are realizing all of those bends and curves were there to prepare us for a new path. A path which will utilize all the lessons learned, all the experiences shared, and all the memories made.

A New Path

July 2022 our family began a new journey which includes pastoring, teaching, mentoring, and traveling around the United States and even overseas. While we have been a part of the Inspire Movement for many years, God is now calling us to full time ministry with Inspire.

The Inspire Movement is reaching many who are searching for a way to deepen their relationship with God and show the love of Christ to those in their own communities. While they embrace the vision, many struggle with how to implement the principles and practices of Inspire in their local context.

Our family is now being called to help fill this gap. We will be traveling to churches and organizations teaching about Inspire and mentoring small group bands and house fellowships

As we begin this new journey, we hold fast to the promise that He who has sent us will be walking with us each step of the way. We have hit bumps in the road and could feel ourselves beginning to get discouraged while preparing for this transition. During those times, we have tried to hold on to Joshua’s words of wisdom.