Well, after a great time in Colorado with Heather’s family and quite a turbulent plane ride (probably the roughest flight I’ve ever been on) we arrived into Dallas on Saturday. It was so much fun to have two days together with my parents, Joy and Caleb, Katelyn are her boyfriend, and my grandparents. Here’s a photo of some of Heather’s family and then one of mine.
Heather’s sisters and brother-in-law.
The Mustain’s and Brown’s. Props to Katelyn’s boyfriend Connor for taking the photo.
On Sunday at church we had one of those family experiences that I will remember for years to come. It’s customary in many churches in the States for the associate pastor to speak the Sunday after Christmas. As the associate pastor my dad spoke this past weekend and he really brought his “A” game so to speak and presented one of his best talks that I can remember.
His talk was based on the text Joshua 4:1-24 and was called “Moving Day.” In this text we find the Israelites moving across the Jordan river. Joshua has a memorial built of stones taken from the river bed and tells the Israelites “In the future, your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean? Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so that all the nations of the earth might know the power of the Lord, and that you might fear the Lord your God forever” (Joshua 4:21-24).
His key points for this text were:
1. Let go of the stuff
2. Look to the stones (the memorials or God moments)
3. Live out the stories
As we go through life and go through seasons of change, we have to figure out what stuff needs to be released and left behind. The stuff could be materialistic things or deeper things like hurts or unforgiveness. As we go through these seasons of change we need to remember the stones or significant events where we saw God work in our lives, the lives of our families, our friends, and our communities. And, as we remember the milestones, we need to live out the stories and what God has done and what God is doing. But, like so many things in life, these three points are things one has to choose into. You have to choose to let go. You have to choose to remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. And you have to choose to live out the stories and life out Jesus.
While the service wrapped up we shared communion together as a family and gathered in a circle, right in the middle of the service, to pray together. My grandfather initiated the prayer together (right in the middle of worship) which was a bold move for him and is something I will always remember. As we held hands in a circle and cried, we remembered God’s goodness and faithfulness in our lives over these past years and prayed that we would live in a way worthy of Christ in 2009.
As a final tie-in to the text in Joshua, we were all given a small stone to carry with us so that we would remember all that God has done and all that we trust him to do.
Even as I type I can feel the stone in my pocket. I remember all of God’s blessing in 2008. I’m thankful for my friends in England and the ministry I was able to take part in. I’m thankful for the lessons I learned over the summer and the ways I grew in preparation for marriage. I am thankful for my wonderful bride Heather. I am thankful for all of our loving and supportive family and friends who helped mold Heather and I into who we are becoming. I am thankful for the provision of a beautiful wedding venue, all of the many gifts to help begin our lives together, and all who support us in our ministry with AIM.
Heather and I can see God’s hand all throughout our story and journey as individuals and now as one. We are grateful for all that God has done and for all that he is still going to do. We choose into letting go of the stuff, remembering the stones, and living out the stories in 2009.
Living each new day,
Chad and Heather
Thank you Chad and Heather for your blogging. A resounding theme that has been said over and over to me in the past few months…You (God) have so good to me (us). How can I thank you? There is just no way. How can I thank you? How can I repay? For your kindness, for your gentleness. You have been so good, you have been so good, you have been so good to me. I love you. It is wonderful to have you home.