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VALLEY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Turning My Thoughts toward Mexico

3/2/2013

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With the turning of the page of our calendars, my thoughts are turning toward Mexico.  

What began as a vision among some of our leaders over a year ago; a vision to send a team from Valley to be involved in a house-building project, is now about to unfold.  Along with Wayne and Daylyn, John and Katie, Diena and three friends from the Alliance Church (Albert, Len and Ellen) I will be leaving for San Diego this coming Saturday and then joining Asher and Suzanne to head to Vicente Guerrero on Sunday.

I have to confess at this point, Mexico has been more of a distraction.  Trying to prepare for a nine day absence over two Sundays and for a Leadership Development course that begins two days after returning, and then looking ahead to Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter; my own ‘obsession’ with being prepared as created some of this distraction!

But, as the reality of our departure is drawing near, my thoughts are cycling back to some words from a good friend who told me months back to go and ‘let God mess with my heart’.  David is a veteran of these kinds of mission trips and speaks from experience, knowing that God often meets us in this kind of ‘out of the ordinary’ experience in ways that might not otherwise be possible.  To have our Creator and Lord ‘mess with my heart’ would be an incredible  experience!

I also hear Asher saying this kind of experience is life-changing for the team members.  

                                           What would it be like to be “spoiled for the ordinary”?

The more I begin to wrap my heart and head around what waits in a week’s time, the more my thoughts also revolve around the truth that we are going to represent Valley.  We will be a living testimony to the gracious and generous spirit that is Valley.  We will share your heart to bless others with a single mom and her children as we build for them a place they can call home.  We will model the Biblical value of serving others in Jesus' name.  And that is pretty awesome!

Mostly my thoughts center around the reality that as we go, our God will go with us and He will meet us there; He will meet  me there.  I recall a prompting from the Spirit several  years back; a prompting to go to a Clergy Conference in Atlanta.  “Go and I will meet you there” was the words I kept ‘hearing’.  In obedience I went and God did meet me there.  There was a defining moment when I knew, ‘this is why God wanted me here’. 

In Exodus 24:12, The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here”.   It was an invitation to abide in the presence of the Lord; an invitation to be in that place where God could ‘mess’ with his heart!  

I’m praying for the same experience as my thoughts turn to Mexico.

Pray for the Team, that we will be in such a place as we go; as our God meets with us!

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    Author

    Ken Clarke has been the Pastor at Valley since 2007. He lives in the Oliver area 
    with his wife Janice ; they have three adult children, Lisa, Scott & Tiffany (Riley) and Andrea & Jason.

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