One Step Forward...

Today I saw Guy Fieri and his red muscle-car in Olympia, my home town. He seemed to be filming a segment for his show 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives' at a local restaurant called Darby's. I was actually on my way to meet with the pastor of a local church who I had connected with by e-mail. I stopped to get a picture of Guy with his car and then went to the church. 

I am still getting the hang of meeting Pastors and sharing about my future ministry in Japan. I want to be honest and vulnerable about my weaknesses and past failures in ministry--but I also want them to have the impression that I am knowledgeable and experienced; it is an interesting balancing act, and one I haven't quite figured out yet. 

Guy finished by filming a commercial segment in which he shared that his restaurants would be giving fifty percent of their proceeds to help with the disaster recovery in the Northeast. Whatever you think about Guy Fieri, he is a master publicist and appears at home in front of the camera. That is not how I felt meeting with the Pastor later--I feel out of my element. 

I have already had several churches and pastors tell me that they will not be supporting me (or are incapable of supporting me). It has been discouraging each time. Some churches and individuals that I thought would be most excited about the opportunity to join together in the vision that God has given me have been the quickest to turn me down. 

That being said, I have had some very encouraging encounters as well--and some that even though they may not be open doors now, may become so later. Please pray for me that I will not be too discouraged, but that I will continue to plant seeds and share about this opportunity with passion and clarity.