My goal has always been to try to post something each day of the week. Most weekends that does not seem to happen. The routine and schedule is different and times seems to fly in a whole different way.
This week I have been silent...not because of a different routine or schedule or out of a lack of things to share, but because of an inability to share them. Even now I sit here searching for the right words to explain what took place yesterday morning knowing that I will not be able to explain it with my usual transparency and candor.
Bryan resigned from his Family Pastor position at Sun Valley Church yesterday morning. My heart pounds even as I write. It was not easy, how could it be? Church, for us, is not a place you go...it's what you are a part of and what becomes a part of you...it's a family. A family that is very dear to us. I was reminded yesterday of words that rang so true in my own heart in 1 Thess. 2:8:
"So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us."
Christ and His gospel are to be our lives, and because Bryan has been given the precious gift of serving full time proclaiming that truth within a local body, our lives become interwoven with others' lives who are passionate about Christ and these people become very dear to us.
So many of these brothers and sisters in Christ have been used by God in the most beautiful ways to encourage us and to spur us on to love and good deeds. Because of Christ, these relationships...though only a year and a half old at best, have felt life long. I am not "romanticizing" things, I truly am being honest! I think some of that sprang, for me, from the heart that God gave some of my precious lady friends to come alongside our adoption. Hearts were laid open, sharing took place, sweet fellowship was shared that went far beyond our adoption. I was humbled by the help, encouraged by their love, and blessed beyond measure by their servant's hearts. It's not so much what they did (though it was A LOT), but through all that, I got to know them and be known by them.
Some of that also sprang up through small groups and youth ministry as we developed relationships of depth. Through small group, God gave me a special relationship with a man who could better be called a "grandpa in Christ" and I will miss him dearly. In the past, I have been used to serving, not necessarily "being served" and we were humbled over and over with the ways people served us...and while everything in me wanted to encourage them right back, we were in a season where, most of the time, we could do nothing more than say "thank you" with a heart full of gratitude.
So, today it feels a little bit like a death. A death that is not without hope...but it is still sad and makes my heart hurt. In times like these, the sovereignty of God is painfully beautiful...but it is still beautiful! Our prayer is to echo the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 71:
"But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure."
God's salvation not only saved us from sin but continues to uphold us and sustain us all day long....and no matter how hard we try, we will never fully comprehend (measure) His saving power and work on this side of Heaven! These are the days of preaching to ourselves what we know to be true and humbly seeking the Lord. As we seek Him and "set the Lord always before us" (Psalm 16:8) we cannot lose hope...no, we will actually grow more and more joyful and full of praise, the Psalmist says.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Please pray that we would walk in the Spirit and not live out the desires of the flesh.
The 12th of January we will be headed up to British Columbia for a week (yep...that's in Canada!)and Bryan will candidate for a Family Pastor position there. We visited back in November and the elder board extended the position to him contingent on the congregational vote (which will take place on the 19th). We believe wholeheartedly that this is the direction the Lord is leading and we are truly excited. The whole "moving out of the country" will not be without it's challenges...but who ever said that following Jesus was supposed to be easy? Then again, to our natural mind, we struggle to grasp that the "narrow way" is the way of true blessing and eternal life, and is sweeter than we could even comprehend!!!
I know that there will be much more to say and to share in the weeks to come and I look forward to that...but, for now, there are tears and places in my heart that hurt. And that's okay. This is the season that God has given us, for our good and for His glory... and today is still the day that the Lord has made so I will rejoice and be glad in it...and it's also a day at my parents house!:) We thought it would be a good idea to come and visit my parents for a few days. Of course, we all LOVE to spend time with them, so there was no second guessing that plan!:) Right now, we are praying that God will send the snow the forecasters are projecting!:)
"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he (Abraham) grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God; fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised." Romans 4:20-21
This week I have been silent...not because of a different routine or schedule or out of a lack of things to share, but because of an inability to share them. Even now I sit here searching for the right words to explain what took place yesterday morning knowing that I will not be able to explain it with my usual transparency and candor.
Bryan resigned from his Family Pastor position at Sun Valley Church yesterday morning. My heart pounds even as I write. It was not easy, how could it be? Church, for us, is not a place you go...it's what you are a part of and what becomes a part of you...it's a family. A family that is very dear to us. I was reminded yesterday of words that rang so true in my own heart in 1 Thess. 2:8:
"So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us."
Christ and His gospel are to be our lives, and because Bryan has been given the precious gift of serving full time proclaiming that truth within a local body, our lives become interwoven with others' lives who are passionate about Christ and these people become very dear to us.
So many of these brothers and sisters in Christ have been used by God in the most beautiful ways to encourage us and to spur us on to love and good deeds. Because of Christ, these relationships...though only a year and a half old at best, have felt life long. I am not "romanticizing" things, I truly am being honest! I think some of that sprang, for me, from the heart that God gave some of my precious lady friends to come alongside our adoption. Hearts were laid open, sharing took place, sweet fellowship was shared that went far beyond our adoption. I was humbled by the help, encouraged by their love, and blessed beyond measure by their servant's hearts. It's not so much what they did (though it was A LOT), but through all that, I got to know them and be known by them.
Some of that also sprang up through small groups and youth ministry as we developed relationships of depth. Through small group, God gave me a special relationship with a man who could better be called a "grandpa in Christ" and I will miss him dearly. In the past, I have been used to serving, not necessarily "being served" and we were humbled over and over with the ways people served us...and while everything in me wanted to encourage them right back, we were in a season where, most of the time, we could do nothing more than say "thank you" with a heart full of gratitude.
So, today it feels a little bit like a death. A death that is not without hope...but it is still sad and makes my heart hurt. In times like these, the sovereignty of God is painfully beautiful...but it is still beautiful! Our prayer is to echo the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 71:
"But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure."
God's salvation not only saved us from sin but continues to uphold us and sustain us all day long....and no matter how hard we try, we will never fully comprehend (measure) His saving power and work on this side of Heaven! These are the days of preaching to ourselves what we know to be true and humbly seeking the Lord. As we seek Him and "set the Lord always before us" (Psalm 16:8) we cannot lose hope...no, we will actually grow more and more joyful and full of praise, the Psalmist says.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Please pray that we would walk in the Spirit and not live out the desires of the flesh.
The 12th of January we will be headed up to British Columbia for a week (yep...that's in Canada!)and Bryan will candidate for a Family Pastor position there. We visited back in November and the elder board extended the position to him contingent on the congregational vote (which will take place on the 19th). We believe wholeheartedly that this is the direction the Lord is leading and we are truly excited. The whole "moving out of the country" will not be without it's challenges...but who ever said that following Jesus was supposed to be easy? Then again, to our natural mind, we struggle to grasp that the "narrow way" is the way of true blessing and eternal life, and is sweeter than we could even comprehend!!!
I know that there will be much more to say and to share in the weeks to come and I look forward to that...but, for now, there are tears and places in my heart that hurt. And that's okay. This is the season that God has given us, for our good and for His glory... and today is still the day that the Lord has made so I will rejoice and be glad in it...and it's also a day at my parents house!:) We thought it would be a good idea to come and visit my parents for a few days. Of course, we all LOVE to spend time with them, so there was no second guessing that plan!:) Right now, we are praying that God will send the snow the forecasters are projecting!:)
"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he (Abraham) grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God; fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised." Romans 4:20-21
Comments
I know you best of all and have seen the glory of God radiate through the Pichura family. Your love for Jesus is obvious to everyone! (1 Cor. 15:58) My recent study through the book of 1 Peter, I believe, offers some help to you during this difficult time. Keep shining through the pain and know that God's truth and testimony will prevail. Even Paul understood the pain of being misunderstood - (1 Cor. 4:3-5). While I hurt for you and with you, we also pray for all the sheep in Yakima who were touched by your ministry. I hurt for them too. Yet, I totally understand the decision Bryan had to make. Under the circumstances I would have done the same thing. May God's grace and peace take you and your family through this uneasy transition, for the glory of His name alone!
We will continue to lift your family up in our prayers...because you will never be forgotten!
Thank you for your post...I know it wasn't easy. Having experienced what you're going through (twice in our lives) I can understand and appreciate your thoughts and desires.
What helped me was knowing the God was in control and that we lived our lives "as pleasing onto God" and not humans.
I look forward to your post and missed them lately. Thanks for sharing this extremely difficult time in your life. It is going to be a help to some and a way for you to heal!
Love you my Sister in Christ!
"There is nothing -- No circumstance, No trouble, No testing that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ. Right through to me if it has come that far. It has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment - but as I refuse to panic, as I lift my eyes up to Him and accept it as come from His throne for some great blessing of purpose of blessing to my heart. No sorrow will disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the Joy of what my Lord is - that is the rest of Victory." ~Alan Redpath (I Corinthians 15:57)
My heart is with you and your family and I can't wait to see where God is going with this! I know advice is not always what is called for and so if you just want a listening ear and heart that loves you and your family dearly, I am here my dear sister in Christ. I'll be praying...fervently. ♥
Your family will be missed more than words can express. And I am SO SADDENED by the fact that your family is leaving and moving on to another "assignment"--- another area where God is no doubt leading you to minister. However, I am also very EXCITED for you, for this face as well!
I will keep you and your family in prayer, as you have made it clear in your post--this is not an easy time/transition for you.
Know that you guys are SO LOVED here at SVC, and that your family has been a HUGE blessing in MY life, and no doubt countless others!! God has used you GREATLY here, Kristin... Thank you so much for your friendship, your love for the Lord!, your encouragement, counsel, sharing of resources, I could go on...!!!
Prayin' for you...
Much love,
Linda
My heart is sad for you and your precious family to be leaving a beloved church body, but I look forward to hearing about all that God has planned for you as it unfolds. He sure is reminding us all that we are pilgrims, and this is not our forever home. I pray that you will be strengthened for the journey ahead, and that God will use you mightily for His glory! Love you dear.