Encountering Roadblocks

We’ve set out with a mission to reach young adults in our neighborhood with the gospel and to ignite revitalization in the area and church where we are serving. I last wrote about the new adventure we’ve embarked on HERE.

Since I wrote, we’ve made some positive steps forward and taken a few back. We’ve been approved by the church to start our ministry to young adults, both inside and outside the church. David has been brought on staff as a part-time (non-paid) priest. We had hoped to be able to secure a large amount of funds in order to truly kick-start the ministry, but they didn’t come through.

From these places, I’ve learned a lot about fear and uncertainty and provision and trust.

The day we found out the money was not going to come through was an especially hard day. I spent most of that day weeping, lamenting the ministry that I thought would not see fruition, mourning the opportunity to start something new and exciting, to be a part of great change. I worried about our bills and how we would pay to live from month to month, with neither of us making much money to speak of.

By the end of the night, I’d added my resume to several job sites and figured I might have to give up my dream of doing ministry so that I could support us. I loathed the idea of going back into computer programming, and I knew my skills were outdated, but at that moment, nothing else seemed real or plausible.

The next day came and several key leaders from the church and diocese wanted to meet with us. I assumed they wanted to console us and tell us best wishes for next time, but instead, something unexpected happened.

Person after person said to not give up, to keep pursuing this dream, to keep going, and to look for funds from other sources.

Now whether they want to see if we’ve got what it takes to fundraise, or whether they want to test whether we’re willing to go all in on this new venture, or whether they also truly believe in this ministry and hope for its future, I don’t know, but they encouraged us.

We committed that day to move forward looking for other funds in order to see the dream we believe God put in our lives and on our hearts for our community come to fruition.

What have you felt when you encountered unexpected roadblocks in your journey? Please leave your comments.

If you liked this post, read about the beginning of our journey in: Embarking on a New Adventure.

(This event took place last October, and here’s our current update: Stepping Forward.)