Here and Here

As summer drew to a close in 2009 my wife and I sat in our home in Millersville, TN, dreaming of the possibilities that would one day manifest in the far off state of Maryland. The Reformed Youth Ministries internship was still no more than an idea, a piece of hope, and our fund-raising efforts seemed like the collection work of someone else's ministry.

Today I sit in my office, a small, 6X12ish hallway in the administrative wing of Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Davidsonville, MD. What was once an idea is now a place in time. Roughly 10 miles to the south lies our beautiful 1940s Cape Cod style rental home that sits right on the Chesapeake Bay. Though many were concerned that we would consider the house too dated for our tastes, to my wife and I it is a beautiful place that embodies the work of almost a year. Through the blessing and providence of God, the hard work has paid off, and I am now an apprentice in ministry.

I spend most of my days here working with volunteers and interns, helping them to help others. As I've been given an internship in both the worship ministry and the youth ministry, my days feel very frantic and schizophrenic. Coming out of a job at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where there was clear expectations and quite a bit of structure, I'm back in a mode of culture shock that comes with readjusting to life in ministry. Planned days are often interrupted by necessary reactive work, and reactions do not always go as planned. Every day is a sort of adventure, and, thankfully, there is never a dull moment.

To everyone who has helped me arrive here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I pray that God would bless you in the ways that you need. I'll post updates here on this blog and send out newsletters as I compile the list.

in Christ,
Joe