THE END

Well, I don't know if anyone reads this blog anymore as Paul has not posted on it for some time. We did not move on. We are having to stay. So this is the end. Karen for Paul

End of School/Start of Vacation

Well, today signals the end of school and also the end of a job for me for right now. I am applying for a teaching job in La Junta, although our desire is to move to be by family. I really don't know if I will even be considered for the position, but we felt that we should apply. Of course, the main obstacle to our moving away is the sale of our house.
We are planning on traveling next week to California to help Karen's dad work on the fixer-upper house that he just purchased. He should be able to move into it sometime next week. This will also give us a chance to look for teaching positions while we are there. We are planning to be there as long as he needs us.

Is it possible that we were meant to go to some church this past few months but the church leaders didn't respond according to God's plan? Or would that just be part of God's plan to start with? Or was it never God's plan for us to again be in a church ministry, at least for right now?
We are willing to do whatever God has for us--even staying in La Junta if that is what is best for His Glory.

Almost the End of School

Only a couple of more weeks of school. I am still applying for school jobs and church jobs. Nothing has opened up yet for us. We are still praying that our house will sell. We did have a "looker" this week, but no word yet from the realtor.

God seems to keep giving us hope through various scripture passages that He will answer soon. Sometimes I wonder why I am still here in La Junta when we thought we would be moving a lot sooner. A fellow teacher at my school said that God must have me at that school for a purpose--perhaps to reach a certain student. But I don't know that that has happened yet. I do pray for several of my students and hope that God will reach them either through me or through another student. I have gotten to know several of the Christian kids through the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) meetings that we have each week at school. And I pray for them that they would be good testimonies to the other students. It is actually a fairly large gathering every week--about 60 students (in a school of about 400). Of course, some of them come for the free lunch provided by parents, but they also hear a short Christian message while there. We all need to be praying for our Christian students and teachers in the public schools! They can have a tremendous impact for Christ.

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Facing a Dilemma

This past week has been a week of emotional and mental struggling. Waiting for God to open up something has been a struggle in itself. But then I faced a dilemma. When Karen asked her school Superintendent for a reference letter, he suggested that I apply for an elementary teaching position at the school (that way they wouldn't lose a great teacher in Karen!). Do we want to stay in Colorado if I was offered a teaching position? If I was hired, what if I was offered a church position later this summer? And, if we really would like to move, does Karen sign her contract for next year or wait or resign now?? We are really struggling with all these issues. Our hearts' desire is to move near family, but we also need to be financially responsible. It is not really very financially sound to quit a job and plan to move when you don't have another job lined up or your house hasn't sold.
We are so thankful that God continues to provide!! We thank all of you who have given us advice and are praying for us.
I am currently in contact with a church in the Sacramento area--However, it is a bi-vocational position so I am also applying for teaching jobs in that area--and we will wait to see how God leads.
Two specific prayer requests: 1) That our house will sell soon if we are going to move; and (2) that God will guide us by opening the door for either a pastor position or teaching position or both for me (and subsequently, a teaching job for Karen).

Still Seeking

I spent most of the afternoon and evening of Sunday sending out resumes to churches and following up on others that I had contacted previously. I am also putting together my application on-line for teaching jobs in California. I will also be looking at other places to apply.
It was interesting to find a site on the Web that had a lot of newly planted churches now looking for a full-time pastor. Some of them would be a fit for me but probably not others. One of the churches, not a new church, was looking for a pastor who would help them to re-launch. I take that to mean that they have plateaued or are dying and need a 'fresh start.' It is much easier to begin a new church them to "re-launch" an older one. In fact, Gordon MacDonald has written a new novel about just that subject, Who Stole My Church? The book is about a church of older people who are dealing with change. The pastor contemplates the situation and writes in his diary, "I think I'm beginning to understand why the younger guys prefer to start churches. Changing one is tough." You can check out an excerpt from the book at the Christianity Today site: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/001/21.88.html

I can't believe that it has already been 8 months since I left the La Junta church! I guess God thinks we need to learn a lot of patience!