Bill and I have been in a long season of transition over the last three years. Yesterday as I prepared a home cooked meal and last evening as we enjoyed a leisurely dinner and conversation with friends, I realized that life is more stable and less stressed than it has been in a long time. The students of Titus 2 are in excellent positions to complete their life recovery plans over the next few months. The gratitude I feel to God for his close presence with us and for speaking through his Word, his Holy Spirit, godly friends, and within the circumstances of our lives is immeasurable.
As I think about Dr. Kevin Watson’s teaching at annual conference and his repeated use of the phrases “experience with God” and “experience of God”…..I am reminded of the Wesleyan theology defined by the 4 aspects of the “quadrilateral” – Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience- it seems to me that no matter what we Experience, we must evaluate it using the wisdom of our shared apostolic Tradition and Reason informed by our understanding of the loving and immutable Creator God and how God has revealed himself through his Word, and by His Spirit in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ.
God is Good. God is Sovereign. God is very personal and ever present. Amen.
And that is true for all of us if one has the spiritual eyes to see, ears to hear, mind to understand and heart to love all of one’s neighbors, even those whom some would call enemies.
One steady feature of the last three years’ white water turbulence has been my friendship with Pam Nevins. Pam, who has been a steady partner with me in life recovery ministry for most of the last ten years, will be moving soon. She and her husband, Troy Nevins, will be moving back to New Mexico near their families as soon as their home in Lynn Haven sells. Last night we had a “farewell” dinner acknowledging our shared understanding that a chapter in our lives is coming to a close, though our friendship and her support for ministry to women and families will continue in a new place and with new people, including her precious family (with grandchild #12 on the way!) Many thanks to Pam (and Troy) for hard work, wise counsel, many prayers, and financial support for ministry to women and families during their time here in Bay County. I’ll be getting familiar with Southwest Airlines’ flights to Albuquerque, it seems!