We have always been involved in ministry but it is one thing to volunteer a handful of hours during the week and being able to devote your entire work week to the effort. As the kids have gotten older and I have progressed in my career, my job has required more and the kids activities have required more, leaving very little for involvement in church. I made a promise to myself that I would leave engineering before I was 41. I turn 41 in July 2014.
Making inroads in ministry requires relationships. Unfortunately, due to re-entering the economy in 2008 as the "new guy" and the the fragile economy which has followed, we have had to move around to California, Reno, NV, Ft Collins, CO, Toronto, ON and back to Reno. Through this we have tried to hold close relations with our "home" church. Ministry there recently came to an end. Our vision for ministry, to promote growth and change was not desired. They wanted us to help maintain what was instead of stretch for the future. I guess I should just say my hope for the future and the elders were different. After consideration and rejection for two separate positions I knew I needed to move on from my 22 yr relationship with them. Perfect timing right? Just as we are looking to move into full time ministry to sever our only strong relationship with a church?
In the last couple months before leaving we have found a new community of believers who have invited us in and made us feel welcome. Welcome at church, in their homes, in schooling our children. So much so that I hesitate to leave but know we have to.
Why leave? Our family has had a strong connection to missions, the poor and the marginalized since our time in Guatemala. Life in Guatemala was slow and relationships strong and spirituality evident every day. We need this time to re-center our family on God and his kingdom. We hope to slow down, enjoy each other and I can take intentional time to truly disciple my kids in a way our schedule did not allow for in Reno. I have always dreamed of doing ministry together as a family and ministering alongside my children. They are now of an age where they are missionaries themselves and not just "tag-along kids". I want to expose them to ministry in a way that will go with them long after they have grown. We are considering a permanent move to missions as well. If permanent foreign missions then we will be looking for a permanent ministry position when we return to the States.
What or where will it be? I am intentionally leaving this unclear. I have tried all my life to plan and direct God. In this experiment we will try the opposite. We will just follow God and experience what he has for us. Yes we will be thinking about what it would be like to live in each of the places we are visiting but ultimately we are just there to help, encourage and be Christ together.
Many people, friends old and new, wanted to keep up with what we are doing so I figured I would fire up the old family blog to keep people updated. Feel free to subscribe to hear the latest. Please feel free to interact with what we write or write us an email. This is a huge encouragement to us that we are not walking alone.
We will be keeping two blogs going just as we did in Guatemala. teamhaddox.blogspot.com will be the fun and factual updates. haddoxthoughts.blogspot.com will be more introspective about our spiritual journey and less about the places themselves.
We will be keeping two blogs going just as we did in Guatemala. teamhaddox.blogspot.com will be the fun and factual updates. haddoxthoughts.blogspot.com will be more introspective about our spiritual journey and less about the places themselves.
