Change in Velocity

Today brought a slow to the ever-increasing velocity at which my life has been spinning the past few months. I woke this morning and drove to Multonomah Falls, a beautiful waterfall in the Columbia Gorge. Once there I took the mile hike to the top and admired God's grandeur.

Standing watching water gush over the cliff, I spent some time reflecting on the past two years of my life--my time in Portland, Oregon--a time that is now coming to its end...

Only a few short months ago, Emily arrived at PUMP, our first Micah Project intern. Her work with the church and Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC), an alternative middle school and high school in North Portland, richly blesses our church and community. The lessons we have learned together are invaluable, and I have been so blessed by her coming.

During these months, we have been confronted by the blessings and the truths of what it means to run a year-long internship program. As we began Emily's internship, we discovered the true call of Micah Project--to transform Christian men and women into radical disciples of Christ and also realized the immense needs of our interns--—for discipleship, leadership training and nurturing.

As a small urban church, most of PUMP'’s resources and individual members'’ time are largely tapped in current ministry. Many of our church body are not in a position to provide the necessary nurturing interns require and continue in nurturing the current church body and their own families. Therefore, at this time, PUMP does not have the capacity to fill the need of future interns.

Realizing this, on the recommendation of Emily and I, the PUMP church leadership has decided to suspend Micah Project until the time when PUMP demonstrates the necessary capacity to nurture a team of interns. It is our great hope and prayer that Micah Project will return in the future. We fully believe in this ministry and its potential effectiveness for the Kingdom of God.

So this means changes. Emily will stay here through August, finishing her internship and working with the PUMP Summer Program. As for myself, I am making plans to attend Fuller Theological Seminary in the fall at the Colorado Springs extension campus.

The next two months will be spent saying goodbye to Portland, PUMP, and all those I dearly love here, traveling to Texas to love on my dear ones there, and moving to Colorado to settle in and prepare to start school in September.

I would appreciate your prayers as I make this transition. I am excited for what I will learn during these months of "sabbatical." It will be a grand adventure!