I have been on the shelf long enough. The time has come to get back in the harness and share my ministry, the good, the bad and the ugly. Over the last several months I have been to the lowest places I have ever known as a minister. The covid outbreak took many of my dearest friends and relatives and all but shut Elm Grove (The Church I Pastor) down. Long hidden family secrets leapt out of the shadows creating Grand Canyon size Casems. The divisions created by the last election cycle were a constant raw edge to navigate around and then my youngest daughter lost her battle with a rare bone marrow disease.

I thought many times, this is it, I can't take any more pain, loss or grief. My heart broke so many times, so many ways and the pain just kept coming. As I considered all this, added in my advancing age and my own physical problems it seemed it was time to just "hang it up", retire and let a younger person lead Elm Grove.

I spent more time in my prayer closet than ever before, praying, begging, seeking for the answers to it all. God is so patient with me, and his longsuffering love carried the day, over and over again.

I will chronical some of this battle in my next article and try and show you just how big God can be if we just let him.