A Sabbatical

I can't believe that it is almost here. I have been caught up in to the business of an out of country mission trip for the students that I have not had the time to think about my upcoming sabbatical. Now that the mission trip to Mexico is behind me, I am able to start my preparations for this upcoming sabbatical.

I began serving as a part-time youth pastor when I was 19 years old in Birmingham, AL. I was attending college and was just engaged to the love of my life...Amanda. We juggled many jobs, went to college, were married, paid college bills, began the C&MA liscencing process, had a baby and graduated from college by May of 1999. I began my ministry at Grove City Alliance Church in March of 2000. I was still a young pup with just a few gray hairs. I was a father of one active child. I was commissioned with the task to build a vibrant student ministry and oversee a starting children's ministry. My role was to pastor anyone under the age of 18. God is good! What a blessing it is to see God bless and grow these ministries over the years. We now have a full-time children's director who oversees a vibrant and growing children's ministry and I am blessed to be fully dedicated to ministering to teenage students! I have seen God take a handful of youth and grow it to well over 100 students. I am also now a father of four children with much gray hair. The students don't forget to point out the the two white patches in my gotee.

It is a fitting time in my life for a sabbatical. It is time to regroup. A sabbatical is a biblical concept of rest and restoration after a period of intense work. God Himself took the seventh day of creation and rested, not because He needed rest, but because He wanted man to know his finiteness and his need for regular rest from his labors. This sabbatical is NOT a vacation, it is NOT an academic leave and it is NOT an escape. This sabbatical will be a scheduled time of rest, renewal and recharging, not only for myself but for my whole family.

Please pray for me and my family during this time. Pray that we would be refreshed, renewed and recharged. Also pray that I would hear God's whisper and be overwhelmed by His presence. I want you to share this time with me. I have created this blog so that you can check-in on me. Although I will be out of touch with the burdens of ministry I do not want you to be out of touch with me. Check back soon.

Pastor Paul