Do we really have to move?

The Brown family is still looking for where God is leading us but it looks very likely that we will have to move from our valley. This is bitter sweet for us. Sweet because it is getting more difficult to run into folks who don't understand what happened to us. We here how the leaders are not giving out the whole story and has made me look like a lousy leader over the last several years. We have heard that I was unwilling to work with the staff, unwilling to be mentored, that I was on some sort of probation, when none of those things were true. I worked well with staff, desired to be mentored in a better way cause I knew i needed it, and never knew of any probation. The point is we feel the need to constantly defend our selves which should not be the case so leaving the area is a likely outcome.

The bitter part is the deep friendships we will leave behind. Friendships that are like family. This is hard to think about and will be harder to do. This was not in my plan, but God is faithful and will help us all through it.

We are thankful for the "Experiencing God" devotional that we are going through as a couple now. It seems that each day's reading directly relates to our current struggle.

for any of our friends who still read this, keep praying for us. The search is not a short and sweet process.

Life in the OT

I recently had some new thoughts about the Old Testament. For many years I , like many other American Christians, spent a majority of my personal and professional study in the New Testament. Then as I read a summary booklet about the OT, it dawned on me. The obvious! None of the biblical writers of the NT and even Jesus himself had the NT to coach, guide, govern or direct their lives. What would Jesus REad? He would read the Old Testament, which was not called the Old Testament until hundreds of years later. And in particular the first five books of the Old Testament were what most would use to govern their lives or even memorize it. What was the last thing I memorized aside from anything numerical like a phone number or password? I am HORRIBLE at memorizing. That is why I never did so well in drama. Those world changers in the New Testament lived in direct influence and advice from the OT, those 39 much overlooked books of wisdom, poetry, war, love, influence, drama, adventure, and so much more. Then in comes Jesus whose life fulfills the OT. Whose advice is consistant with the OT. Who takes to OT and hammers it right on home to prove the words are from the Father and relevent to life then and now. So if it is relevant to life then AND now then I guess you could say we are livin LIFE IN THE OT!