Road Trip

Wayne and I took Shantal, our third child on a road trip yesterday.  We got up at the crack of dawn and took off for Belton SC.  I picked up Shantal in the church parking lot, and as we pulled out, it occured to me that I was really gonna miss being at church this morning.  This has been a hard long year for our church, but 2010 has brought a new sense of God's peace and promise over our family.  There is is an undeniable charge of the Holy Spirit moving among us.  You can feel the moving in each service and I hated to miss what God was going to say through Andy.
Wayne was impatiently waiting for us however, so off we went.  The day was incredible dreary with a soft rain falling and thick fog clouding our view, but we were strengthed by a hearty breakfast of Coke and granola bars from the Jet Stop In and nothing could get in our way.
True to Welch form, we snoozed while Wayne drove I-85.  He was probably exceeding the speed limit by a little, because before we knew it we were navigating the streets of Anderson SC and following Laura on the TOM TOM to a beautiful country side.  The country road winded through farms and old stately southern homes. We reached our destination at a beautiful brick church, jam packed with SC tagged cars.
Bethany Baptist Church with a sign out front that read: "Pastor Andrew Hall"

Inside I found the faces of friends who are so much more.  Andy and Robin are the kind of friends that God allows in your life to shape you for Kingdom work.  I probably know less than five people who I consider to completely love God with their entire beings.  Andy is one of those people. I've never known anyone who completely loves God more than life.  Robin and I share a deep bond that was formed in a mission trip to Macedonia.  I can't explain it, we seldom talk, now that they've moved, but when we do, we cut past the fluff and straight to the goodness of God.

I was struck by the deep love these people have for their new pastor.  My heart nearly burst with thanksgiving as I watched them interact, give and recieve love from their new family. God is so good. He is so faithful. He took a  heartache and turned it into a place of renewal and ministry for my friends.

We spent all afternoon talking about God's goodness to them and to us.  We praised God for the work He is doing in them and their new minsitry. We talked about how God had been so faithful to Robin, answering prayers she had been praying for so long for her family.  They rejoiced with us over the work that God is doing at SBC, their old home, and among people they still love so much.  They listened egerly as we talked about the new and exciting work that is unfolding for us at Sinclair.

Andy reminded me as he has done countless times before that God is sovereign, that His plan is not always like ours....it's always so much better, to conform us to the image of Jesus.

We headed back down I-85 towrds Georgia.  We talked about how good God is. We talked about the exciting things He has for us.  It was a really good day.  Wayne even let Shantal and I browse through the Commerce $5 Christian bookstore.  I missed my church family.  I'm glad I missed SBC so much, haven't felt that in a long time.