“We make our plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.” (Proverbs 16:1 NLT)
“The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” (Proverbs 20:24 NLT)
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14 NKJV)
Today we are taking a break from Eric’s Life Lessons in order to pick up where we left off in the continuing life journey that we were on prior to the 7 lessons.
I had just been rescued by 2 wonderful sisters who would not allow me to walk away from the Lord’s design and desire for my life. These 2 ladies picked me up and carried me back to school where I belonged. The Lord loves to give His children second chances (and in my case third, fourth, etc.). Second semester started and it was time to stop looking back and move full speed into the purpose that the Lord had placed on my life.
At the close of a great semester (classes went great and Melody and I got engaged) I was selected to be a part of a 7 person singing group that traveled the East Coast for 8 weeks; ministering and representing the school. I was given the opportunity to sing, play my trombone, and even preach a few times. The last stop of the tour was actually in my home Church. Before I left Melody and I were planning to get married in a year. While I was on tour we decided to move up our plans. So we got married on August 11, 1984 (just a few weeks after I got home). In less than a month I was married, found a house to rent, found a job, and returned to my second year of school as a married student. To top things off I was asked to become the Pastor of Norvell Community Baptist Church. For the next 9 months (as a newly wed living in Grand Rapids) I would go to school full time, work full time as a surface grinder in a foundry, and commute on the weekends to Pastor the Church (about a two and a half hour drive). Life was busy but blessed (who needs sleep any way?).
We were off to the races. We finished the school year and then moved into the Church Parsonage. After 2 years we moved back to Grand Rapids. After a short gap, I became the Youth Pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Grand Rapids. This ministry opportunity lasted for about 2 years. During these early years we had 4 beautiful children. I was also able to complete my Bachelors Degree in Church Ministries from Liberty University School of Lifelong Learning.
While serving as Youth Pastor the Lord started leading me in a direction that would move me out of the circle of Churches that I had been a part of. I decided that I needed to find a Church that was heading in my new direction and spend a couple of years getting my feet firmly planted before heading back into a leadership role. This brought us to Resurrection Life Church of Grandville in the spring of 1994. As you can see, our first 10 years of marriage were action packed years. With this break in the action, the Lord started revealing that while I had the gifts, calling, and education to move forward in ministry, I was lacking one very important ingredient. We will talk about that tomorrow.