Mopars to Missions

We are here sitting in a hotel near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  We arrived here on Tuesday afternoon after a lengthy drive from Minnesota.  We had left Sunday after church.  Thankfully the drive went well, we did not hit any major construction, and Gunner was a champ!  

Yesterday was the first big step forward as we went through an oral doctrinal exam at ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism).  What that means is we were questioned for a couple hours by a few individuals about our beliefs, and how be can prove those through Scripture (The Bible).  To God be the glory we passed the exam and were permitted to continue forward in the process!!!!! 

Today was the first day of the Candidate Seminar.  To understand what this is I have included a snip-it below:

PURPOSE

• To instill into the candidate a growing understanding of, and identification with, the ABWE spirit and philosophy of ministry

• To complete the screening of potential ABWE career 

• To discover/confirm God’s direction concerning choice of field

• To equip them for the next step of pre-field ministry

SEMINAR TOPICS

The purpose of the Candidate Seminar is four-fold:  Many topics are covered during Candidate Seminar, such as: financial policies and procedures, marriage and the family, field presentations, ABWE history and distinctives, etc. Interviews are scheduled for candidates to meet with field administrators, Mobilization personnel, the mission counselor, medical director, etc. The seminar is a time of bonding with other candidates — with others who have like goals and aspirations and who have surrendered their lives to serving God on the mission fields of the world. What a blessed time of learning and sharing! Each candidate presents his/her testimony during the first day of the seminar. Many of the administrators also share their testimonies. It is truly a blessing to see how God works to bring so many people to the place He has chosen for them to serve.

Gunner even got to break out some new shoes and clothes for the occasion!

So what does this have to do with Mopar's...."Chrysler vehicles".  When we arrived back to our hotel this evening, I was greeted with this view....

....a row of polished Dodge Vipers, lots of older muscle cars....(saw an identical General Lee from Hazards county), and some new Challengers and Chargers.  To my surprise I found out that the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is going on right next to us this weekend.  This is a giant "Mopar" car show and swap meet with over 2,500 Mopars.  As some of you may know I am a big fan of Mopar and had a 1970 Plymouth Cuda until a couple years ago.  

I can not help but look over the changes that have taken place in my life over the last years.  It is almost ironic that I will be sitting in a seminar so close to a car show I would have loved to go to.  The reality is I would not change anything....as strange as that sounds.  While I love cars.....they don't last forever.  As we are pursuing missions we are looking at a focus that lasts eternally.  While this means I may never get to own or drive an expensive muscle car again, I get to be in the passenger seat of the wildest ride in life as Christ is behind the wheel!  I don't know where He is taking us, but my job isto trust Him and hold on!