In Spring in Winter

The wasp, the ladybug, and the squirrel all seem alive in this Spring moment of Winter. Sitting outside at the lake, I’ve contemplated this phenomenal week. All around me the cardinals and finches wisp through the air at the neighbor’s bird buffet. It is February. It is time for ice and storms and cold. Yet, the grass is attempting to grow.

When we entered our lake home late last night after an exhausting week, how surprised I was to find a wasp jumping about on the ceiling of the living room. What was he doing awake? After taking care of him, I notice a ladybug flying. A ladybug! The sure sign of Spring was in my home in the dead of winter. Sure it had been 70 degrees that day. But on the road down, there was ice constantly on the side of all the north facing hills. Ice and Spring seem odd mixture.

In Spring in Winter, this week has been odd like that. It has been absolutely phenomenal. For months, I have been attempting to get some sort of stable ministry going with our young married couples at Catedral. For months, I have been attempting to get my work organized and sales started in motion in my business. Neither want to make any progress. Every day is a hard struggle and a push against resistive force.

In Spring in Winter life is exploding in areas that seemingly should be dormant. In Matamoros, the explosion of God’s grace was phenomenal. You will have to read that story elsewhere. It is too big for this spot. The Father performed miracles, substantial miracles, and built relationships that will last a lifetime. In Oklahoma City, I came across a new film being produced that needs to be prescreened in the Latino community. We will work alongside Los Abuelos and see miracles. Miss HIV is out and has some great clips of friends in it. A minister friend took a copy for his congregation. EGM gave me ten more to distribute. This week I speak alongside friends at an urban ministry school convocation. The one minister and his congregation were a key part of that movie in OKC. Not an unnoticed happenstance that God puts us together in the right week. A large organization agreed to send us food for the poor in Mexico and Oklahoma City. A sponsoring church directly across from the business of a friend involved agreed to give us storage space to receive and ship. Ministers are meeting and talking about joining together in efforts.

Where does all of this Spring activity fit in the winter of struggle? Seemingly it jumps from nowhere. In a moment we are launched into an effective mission organization being prepped to bring solutions to our own city and sister up with a congregation in Matamoros. In the same week, a local alternative school in the middle of the worst gang infestation in our metro wants our involvement. The principal asked me to work weekly with his teachers in building a community of peace. This is the start of then reaching those students and influencing their home world. Couple this with the HIV work and Los Abuelos and you have a more than full time ministry changing a community and the world through partnerships.

In Spring in Winter, I am a business man with multiple businesses to run? Again, this week I’ve been asked to speak at yet a third conference this Spring (the real one). In two months I will speak in Vegas for a computer conference, in Philadelphia for a digital publishing conference, and in Washinton D.C. for a facility and engineering conference on exactly the same subject. In the next two months we will launch two new nationwide clients. What gives? Why now? There are other pieces wanting to launch in the background. This is a monumental week of happenings birthed out of years of relationship and cultivation of friendships in Christ across the community. The Father is speaking. The Holy Spirit is organizing His agenda not mine. Jesus is advancing His ministry and life to others. Stay tuned. God so love s the world.

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