great start

So far we have had a great start to ministry here in Rochester. We had 76 kids at our first youth group meeting and kids are very excited to be there and bring friends.

Thanks for so many of you that have been praying for us and our family. God is good and we are pleased to be a part of a ministry with so much potential.

when you coming to visit

So here i lay on my bedroom floor typeing into the computer a note to any who care to read. It is 11pm and all are asleep. my laptop is plugged into the phone jack as I battle with the add filled free netzero dial up service to type late at night. We dropped Deb's mom off at the airport and are spending the next two days alone as a fam in our new home. Tyson starts school tomorrow. I start work on thursday. Liz comes on Friday and then my dad and Marcia come the weekend after Liz leaves. full days to keep us occupied.

Weather has been amazing. up into the 60's today with beautiful (borderline amazing) sunrises and sunsets. each morning we see the sun rise over the top of the farm outside the window near the breakfast table. The snow is melting and the grass is trying to turn green. Curtains are getting hung, all of our appliances have finally arrived, the basement is coming along nice and we found out our real estate guy will be putting in our slab patio for us after we are all thawed and dry. Life is good in Minnesota.....when you coming to visit?

I made it!

I made it to Balmy Minnesota! Spent some time with my brother and his friends in Minneapolis and did a little sledding with them. Very Therapeautic, and painful. My neck still hurts from hitting the jump i didn't see because we were sledding at night.

Moved all of our stuff off of the truck and into our home and garage. Plenty of good help and got it all out and mostly set up in our new house. Then had dinner at the Mannenbach's home. I doubt Liz (the mother) will read this, but if she does....NICE SOUP! it was really good and I can't remember what it was.

Today was a box day. emptying out boxes and setting up the house for the arrival of my family tomorrow.

On The Road

I am sitting in the passenger seat of my own van while my friend Jeff drives. We just passed into central standard time and are approaching Bismarck, ND. He has a SPRINT card for his laptop so I am able to type as we drive. The weather is nice on our journey so far. Ultra clear skies but WOW what wind. We have covered 1159 miles in the last 16 hours. The van is so full that I cannot see the dog in the back seat.

Last night we listened to a message by one of my favorite preachers, Andy Stanley, and he talked about some stuff....but what impressed me in regards to this season is the idea that we sometimes don't trust God to be bigger than our problems. If my problem is to big for God, then my faith is too small.

God pull me and my family through this difficult season and I apologize right now for not having the faith in you that I should.

They made it too!

the family made it and the kids were very excited to see their rooms and all of their toys that have been in boxes for the last several weeks as we prepared for the move. The first full day here we played in the snow, made our first Minnesota Snow Man and drove their John deer jeep (thanks Hiatts). Then today, the second full day, we toured Tyson's new school and walked around the underground walkway, called the subway, and the skyway downtown. Kids are having fun and Deb and her mom are doing a great job getting the house unpacked. We are nearly ready for visitors. Basement is framed and sheetrocked and looking great as well.

The weather warmed up and will keep climbing into the 50's by the end of the week so spring is on its way. WOOHOO!

Thanks for the prayers and no matter what you northwesterners say, life in the midwest is still good! Just ask my family.

unfinished goodbye video for my son

my face is leaking

As i finish the packing of our beautiful little home here in Gleed, WA. it gets more and more difficult to say goodbye to my home of the last 11 years. It is difficult to leave any place where you have put down roots, but it is even more difficult to go when it was not your choice. The pain is getting so real as the day approaches when i will drive away from my home on a journey to a new one. As i reflect on my kids dancing on our new fireplace made by the hands of a dear friend my face leaks for the memory will only be that, a memory. They will no longer be able to dance in their home made stage to Grandpas music on the stone fireplace that Don made. I am sure they will find a new stage, but this will be their first.

They will no longer be able to chase eachother around the island in our new kitchen that we just put together for them or around the laundry room hallway living room track. They will find a new track to run around, but this is their first and for us one of our fondest memories and favorite things to watch them do.

They will no longer be able to grow weeds in their weed garden at the top of our hill in the backyard. They will find new places to play, but this is their first.

they will no longer be able to go to Ray and Pam's for dinner and a swim in the summer. We will meet new friends and new families, but these were the first. And you are all so dear to us. We will miss you more than i will ever be able to express verbally.

All these things and so many more are the memories that are so painful to see go. God this hurts more than i thought it would and I don't like it. My face keeps leaking.

I know you didn't want to leave heaven where all your comforts were to come to this awful place to redeem us so you know what I am feeling. Help us through it as only you can.

Adios Yakima

We are pulling out on Thursday for our new adventure in Rochester, MN. New house, new Job, new stores, New life, New schools, New Church, New Everything. Thanks to all of our friends here in Yakima for the memories, support, prayers and for being there for us through out this whole transition. We will be back to visit when we can but we may not be able to see and visit with all of you but stay in touch with us and if you want our address contact me through Email and i will send it to you.

NEW HOUSE!

I am sitting in a restaurant called Pannera here in Rochester, MN. It is -8 (yes that is a minus eight) degrees outside, 3 inches of fresh fallen snow, and I just met with a board chair who is a physical therapist at the Mayo clinic and was all but offered a position as the high school pastor here at Calvary E. Free church. All we need now is a vote on this coming Sunday to be asked to return. We are obviously anticipating this as we have found the house we will put an offer on today. Scary and exciting time for me and my family. 3,025 Square feet of brand new house with an unfinished basement. We will get to go and pick out our appliances today as well. It comes with a $2500 allowance for these appliances.

Day one done

So here i sit on a monday morning at a Caribou Coffee after having faced the first day of candidating here at Calvary E. Free. Acutally it wasn't too bad. We spoke a bit in each of two services, visited all the High School Classes and then did a Q & A forum from about 12:30 to 1:30. We had the afternoon to chill a bit and then off to a superbowl party from 4 to about 9. Long day but we survived. Now it is Monday and I have some staff meetings and other meetings with a couples dinner tonight. Not to bad today, but so far it is looking good. We will be able to tell better after wed. night when there will be a parent forum and I will speak at youth group with all 6th through 12th graders, adult leaders and parents. After that I think we will have a good idea on the whole week went. Be praying for us on Tues. and Wed. as we will be looking at houses. We need to find one since we sold ours and have no home if we don't.

thanks

Darin

We're Going back

Calvary E. Free. has invited us back to candidate. We will be traveling back to the church to meet the congregation and speak at the high school youth group and then they will vote on me as the new High School Pastor. Seems a bit surreal that we are so close to having a new church home, new actual home and we will be leaving all our friends here. Deb is still worried about the cold weather there as she has never lived in a climate colder then Yakima which is really mild in the winter. But the job is good, good opportunities, good staff, good people.

As God Leads

SOLD?

I think we just sold our house here in Yakima. We had an offer yesterday that we countered and they accepted contingent upon bank approval and inspection. Feels very odd and sad at the same time to think that our home that we have lived in, improved and made memories in will be occupied by strangers. The prayers prayed and the bible studies held will all be just a memory and the space in which these sacred acts happened will now be used by strangers. I know this is a reality that happens daily in the lives of people, but it just feels wierd that folks we don't know will be eating at our new kitchen island, cooking meals on our stove, watching TV in our living room, staring at our new custom fireplace built by dear friends. Reality is hitting us hard. But God has our best interests in mind so we walk by faith that HE is in control of our wild lives. We are amazingly blessed beyond what we deserve both spiritually and materially. This reality is easy to overlook but is really the more important reality. It is not about us, but it is all about You Jesus. We apologize for trivializing your presence, your reality, your sacrifice, your calling, YOU.

Thanks for Grace and forgiveness.

I think i found a job

We are back now and we had a great experience in Rochester, MN. As we drove away to the airport there was about 5-6 inches of fresh fallen snow in the road. Great "Icing" on the cake. We have decided that if the search team asks us to come back for the job, and if the salary is right, we will say yes to the position. BIG enormous step, but one we feel God has for us to take. The knot in my gut is large and choking as i think of leaving our adopted yakima family. Pray for the transition if you are a reader of this blog.

not a vacation

Jan. 13, 2007
We have spent a full day in Rochester and it is very cold. The people are very warm but the weather is bitter. We spent about 3 hours with a real estate guy looking at homes. Nice homes but did not find the "dream Home" just yet. There is one house we liked and then one particular yard and neighborhood we liked, but they were not in the same place.

Had a GREAT dinner with several families and felt very warmly welcomed and appreciated. Might be a fit. So far so good.

There is a sign in the yard

today was a wierd day emotionally. We signed papers on Saturday and a real estate agent came over today to take photos of our home and put a sign in the yard. We are selling and it is getting to be so final. We walk around our beautiful little home which we just finished remodleing to be just the way we want it and it is all for someone else to enjoy.

If you are a praying person, we would love to have you pray for the sale of our home. Would love to get more than the asking price (who wouldn't). But also want to have confirmation that The job in Rochester is right and there is a home for us there.

Moving will be HORRIBLE! But God is Good and we know things are in his capable hands.

Rochester

We will be visiting a church in Rochester, MN in January to check it out. Please be praying for us and our family as this is a HUGE decision.

http://calvaryefc.org/

Update for the fam

For those of you who are reading this here is an update on our family and our job situation. We are in an interview process with a church in Rochester, MN. No commitments yet but it is a possibility. We also had a significant interview at a church in Beaverton, OR. Again, no commitments from either side just yet.

This is such a hard season for the Brown's due to the upcoming move and leaving all of our friends that we have had and loved for so many years here in Yakima. We are trusting that God will take care of our emotional needs as it pertains to friendships, but it is so hard to think of leaving all of our "family". We know the friendships will remain no matter what but the frequency of the visits will change drastically.

For those of you who are praying for us, pray us through this season and into the next chapter. The pages are getting harder to turn, but once we get through this short and difficult chapter we know that our story will be a virtual page turner.

thanks

NYWC 2006

I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to Youth Specialties and the volunteers and staff who I hung out with this last week. I was encouraged and affirmed by you all. I made some great contacts and connections with a lot of folks who are helping me find my next position in which I will serve Jesus. Continue to pray for me and my family. The new youth ministry part does not scare me and my family as much as the where we will live part. We have a significant set of roots planted where we are now and uprooting will be painful. God will help us through it, but it is hard to take that step with confidence. We know that once we are on the other side of the dicision and the move we will look back on all this and see God at work all througout. I heard just today of two specific storyies of how my former youth ministry and volunteers are still reaching kids and changing their lives. Way to Go guys. It makes me feel good to know that all that was built and planned is still affecting lives. I would like to take credit, but even as I write this I am reminded that it is God who changes the lives and reminds others to minister. May God bless those of you still serving at MBC.
I have to admit that a short time ago my ego wanted MBC to fail due to anger for how I and my family were treated but that would not honor God in any way at all...only me and I am not God and as we all learned here at the convention, we are supposed to point others to the LIGHT cause we are not the LIGHT. May we all do our best to keep our egos in check.

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!