Going into week 9 of my pastoral sabbatical - What is happening!

Wow, missed blogging in May!!! Sorry about that! A lot happened in May.

Time is really slipping away on my 3 mo. Sabbatical, down to approximately 3 weeks.

Since my last blog we have made a trip to see Pastor friend and his wife who pastor a non-denominational church 20 minutes outside of Savannah, GA. Great friends with a small congregation in a very nice church facility. I see nothing but potential for growth there.

Then when I got back to Atlanta I went hiking with my son, got off the short trail and onto a long one, spent hours walking through woods but it was fun and memorable.

Then on to Las Vegas (May 7-16). I worked the booth with Gospel Trick Shot Ministries (GTS), and Christian Pool Players Association (I'm the CPPA founder) CPPA is doing all the follow-up on 100+ people that asked to be contacted and/or want to know more about God! AWESOME! We also had up to 21 people show up every morning for GTS Bible Study during the event. YES, in Las Vegas, at a very large Pool/billiards event in a Casino. YES, people can be hungry for God even in that environment! I hate the expression "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". Well let me shoot that to pieces, with the fact that Casino's are starting to slow down, buildings are unfinished, people are hungry and searching, Bible believing churches are growing in Las Vegas, and as Romans 5:20 states: "...where sin increased, grace abounded all the more..." That's the scripture that comes to mind (though maybe not in perfect context). What a time of minstry!!!

Then 2 weeks ago tomorrow we headed for Nebraska, stopped at Joyce's cousin in Arkansas. Then next day on to Nebraska. Biggest highlight here was celebrating Joyce's mom's, Mary celebrating her 80th birthday with 58 others (mostly relatives).

On the spiritual side of things, it is quiet here, and not much to distract me, so I spend a good amount of time studying, reading, praying and resting. With only a few weeks until sabbatical is over, I treasure every minute and am trying to be fruitful with them.

It took awhile, but I'm missing my church, preaching and being "home." I still don't have all the answers since going on my sabbatical, but things are much clearer, and I feel I'm ready for Kane and whatever the future brings.

Some questions during Sabbatical were:
1. Am I even called to pastor? I believe it is a YES.
2. Am I called to stay in Kane long-term? That is yet to be determined, I don't think that answer will come until after a get back to Kane.
3. Does God still have a plan with me with CPPA (http://www.christianpoolplayers.com/)? I say absolutely YES. God has moved in CPPA in the last 6 months in bring leadership together nationwide and see no break in quality people coming into CPPA.
4. Do I have more clarity of vision/direction with priorities, family, ministry, church, finances, future? I have more confidence in these areas, which means some changes when sabbatical is over, but I won't be swayed in any of these areas from God's purpose for my life.

That is a little of what's going on! :-)

Let's close todays blog with the following clip.



Mike Massey doing something much more important than shooting pool - He's sharing Christ!