The sailor has returned!  It's been over a year since I last posted and so very much has happened since then.  Mom went home to heaven a year ago after a brave fight with Alzheimer's.  I had the joy and privilege of spending the summer with Mom and Dad, and being with Mom in her last days.  We were able to keep her at home thanks to hospice coming in.  I miss her something awful, but so very thankful things were right between us when she went home.
Last summer certainly challenged some of my theology wrestling with some why's and not having answers to Dad's questions and why's.  A year later I believe that my own personal framework of theology is beginning to take shape.  Something very helpful if I should choose to pursue ordination at some point.  I was so blessed to have a church home in Florida.  Calvary Bible Church was just five minutes away and Pastor Bob's teaching was awesome.  I really grew while attending and learned a lot.  I so appreciated the love and support of the church family, and the way they were there for me.
But it was a long hard winter, grieving and just not feeling motivated.  Coming home to the church here and watching it seemingly slowly die.  Bruce and I were challenged in the spring at the pastors' retreat to be intentional in prayer.  As I have continued to read John Piippo's blogs, we have been challenged to be Presence driven.  That is the direction we are now trying to steer the church into--Presence driven, prayer focused, listening for God's heart.  Sure feels like a hard turn into uncharted waters!
And we began a new sermon series on Sunday, put together by one of our Michigan American Baptist pastors.  It's called the "Love Your Neighbor Adventure", challenging us to recognize and reach out to those around us, both through the Sunday message and through personal prayer and devotional time.  We will also be re-starting a weekly meeting time next week.  So not easy to see where all this will lead; hopeful of possible direction and revival of the church.
And so it is time to begin blogging again.  I've made it through the first year, have heard that the second year can be tougher; so between a grieving journey and the ongoing ministry journey and the ongoing walk with Christ, the Morning Star Sailor is heading out from the harbor ready to set sail again.  Hope you drop in once in a while and see how the journey is going.  Thoughts and prayers...