A Call from Portland

Just now, while starting my preparations for the next sermon, I received a call from a cleaning company in Portland. I think they wanted me to use them to clean the offices at my place of business. Even if I wasn't in Alaska, I really don't think I needed an outside cleaning service... I suppose my home office did get cluttered and dusty at times, but would I have needed someone else to clean for me? Hmm...

Anyway, after I told the caller that I was in Alaska, that she got me on my cell phone, she started asking about what it was like here. I informed her about the weather conditions (mostly cloudy and wet, but a couple days a week can be just absolutely beautiful); the astronomical conditions (days do get shorter in the winter, but not completely dark like it does above the Arctic Circle); the town (a mixture of America's about 40 years ago and modern touches). She asked about how long I would be here (must have thought I was on business or vacation...) and when she heard that I would be here for the foreseeable future, she became curious as to why and what I was doing.

It's interesting that my next sermon is going to on Philippians 1:12-30 and I had just written down some thematic points about living the gospel before preaching it, and how we need to always be on the lookout to recognize opportunities to share the gospel.

I told the caller that I made the move with my family to pastor a church here. That piqued her curiosity even more as she noted that I had previously been in the tech field and how far removed that is from pastoring. So I was able to give my highly-abridged, 30-second story of how I had grown dissatsified with what I was doing, my search for more meaning, and that I believed God had led me here. I ended with telling her I really don't know how things will turn out for us, but we'll see where God continues to lead.

We ended the conversation by her noting that she hears some interesting stories, and that our story is certainly up there. It is my prayer that somehow our brief conversation planted seeds and opened doors for my God to continue His work. And I ask all who read this to continue prayers for us that we may be cognizant of all the opportunities God places before us to live and preach the gospel.

It's interesting how many of these little opportunity vignettes we've had since we entertained serious consideration of making the move here. I sometimes wonder if that's what God intended all along -- the destination is certainly important, but perhaps what happens along the way is even more important.

P.S. I think I'll use this as my sermon illustration!