Today was probably one of the best day I’ve had in a while.  For one, Katie and I spent the last day or so moving back into our house in Baltimore.  Some might think this would be depressing – in some ways, it is…we planned on staying in Lancaster City for a long time, but God has freed us to serve in other places.  Our house in Baltimore is very cozy – smaller, yes, but for some reason it just seems more family friendly.

Tonight Katie and I watched Rocky II.  What a great movie.  I found myself being able to relate to so many things in the movie, and it really was encouraging to me.  If you’ve ever seen the movie – Mickey, (Rocky’s trainer), is an older guy who encourages Rocky to continue to fight.  Rocky is hesitant (and so is his wife, Adrian), but finally gives into his default – the one “thing” he was created to do – fight.

I met a guy several months ago – Don.  I met him at George’s restaurant in Willow Street.  Don and I haven’t talked for a few weeks – I’ll need to phone him tomorrow…anyway.  Don (as some of you may recall) gave me several old books that have been great food for the soul lately.  Last night at Baltimore I was reading through one of the books on a chapter on prayer.  The main thing that I remember from the reading was that the author referred often to the “intimacy” of prayer.  It struck me as rather odd – I don’t think I ever heard of prayer being referred to as an act of “intimacy.”  It almost seems like our world/society has really dirtied the word “intimate.”  Yet…those writings have had me thinking a lot lately, because I have not been very intimate in my prayer life for the past couple of months.  Sure, I have had times of continued and consistent prayer.  But, I’ve yet to have a season of intimate prayer.  At the last church where I used to serve, I used to go to my office every morning I was to preach…I’d get on my knees and hid my face on the seat cushion of the chair.  Sometimes, I’d shake before God – not out of nervousness, but out of fear…because I knew that I was about to go preach, and even though I had prepared…I had nothing to say.  It was either God was going to speak, or I was.  And if I was going to do the talking, the congregation was headed for trouble.  I’m becoming convinced that perhaps my “job” in life is not to do this or that…but to allow God to do His.

This afternoon Katie and I officially listed our house on the market.  We are doing so with a man named Gary Hoover – one of the greatest blessings in our life during this season.  We met Gary two years ago when we moved to the area.  We actually found him on the internet from a realtor website search engine.  It turned out, that Gary is one of the most authentic Christ-followers that I’ve ever met.  Today he came over to our house and sat in our living room and had some heart-to-heart conversations with us about attempting to discover God’s will for our lives.  He’s prayed with us several times, in fact, he used to pray with us before we went and looked at homes in Lancaster that God would provide us with the right home.  God sends you special people ever now and then that are so unique servants that you know that they are a God-sent.  Gary Hoover is one of ours.  If you ever need a realtor in Lancaster, contact Gary Hoover.  I pass his name onto you with no hesitation or prompting, but out of anticipation for how God will use Gary in your life as well.

Gary Hoover
For A Moving Experience – Call Gary

Office:  717.560.9100 ext. 9739

Cell:  717.575.2363

E-mail:  ghoover@pruhomesaleservices.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2FyaYmbc6k[/youtube]

Dear Pequea Church:

Several of you have been following my blog…thank you for keeping in touch.  I’ve taken a good bit of my blog and edited it…I’ve removed several of my posts that have proven to be unproductive.  Although everything I have ever posted has been true to the best of my knowledge, I don’t want to give the Enemy any fodder or footholds.   I don’t want anything posted that is going to cause anyone unnecessary trouble and pain.  If anyone has any questions about anything I’ve published in the past, you can call me and I’ll be glad to hear from you.  443.504.2643

On Friday night Katie and I went to First Friday in the city, and we crossed paths with John Heinly (who currently is working at Lancaster Mennonite High School).  John and his wife invited Katie and I to come to church with them on Sunday, and because we are currently without a church home, we accepted their invitation.  On Sunday Katie, Maria and I visited West End Mennonite Fellowship – a multicultural Mennonite church plant on the West side of Lancaster City (20 North Charlotte Street).  The worship service was so alive, and the congregation felt literally like one huge family.  They had a meal after the service, and we were able to stay and fellowship and meet some new friends.