4.27.25 Word from the Pastor

Yesterday we had a successful crawfish boil. It truly is a blessing to come together as a church to be united and prepare a missions fundraiser like a crawfish boil. It really does show a glimpse of the unity in the church, and how God is truly leading us as a church of All Nations, All Generations, All Languages.

The past few weeks have been really busy for me and my family. It feels like we are at church almost every night, serving or in discipleship with others. And honestly, it has been a joy. God has given us a heart to pour in, to invest in the church and the people around us. But even though we are serving, we have started to feel the tension rising. Even though it is all for the kingdom of God, my wife and I realized we had not sat down and really talked, about life, about each other, in a long time. That started to create some disconnect at home, and I could feel it.

I carried that into Encounter this week. We have been so caught up in the rhythm of serving. Good Friday, Easter Sunday. These are supposed to be times of celebration and remembering the resurrection of Christ. And yet, I felt so empty inside. Like I was slowly losing my grip. I felt disconnected from my family, and even from the joy I used to have in serving. That is when I realized I had not just sat down and prayed in a while.

Before everyone arrived at Encounter, I took some time to pray. Honestly, no words came out. Just tears. I felt like I had been holding something deep in my heart and body that I did not know how to express, so I just wept before the Lord. But afterward, I felt relief. I felt comforted by God. The Holy Spirit reminded me that He has always been there.

That is how relationships are. When we do not take time to talk, things get misunderstood. Even in our everyday relationships, if I do not sit down and talk with my wife, not just about ministry but about how we are doing, there is a disconnect. The home feels off. And in the same way, when we do not talk with our Father in heaven, we start to feel overwhelmed, alone, and off course. We lose sight of God in our everyday life, and we forget why we are doing what we do.

That is why we must pray. That is why we have to kneel before God and seek Him. Without Him, we cannot do anything. We have to come to that place of prayer where we find rest in Him. Jesus’ invitation has always been “Come.” He says, “Come to me… and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

What burdens are you carrying right now? What questions are weighing on you that you do not have answers to? What have you been trying to figure out in your mind but cannot seem to understand?

Maybe this is your sign to come to your Father in heaven and lay it all at His feet. In Him is joy. In Him is rest.

Come and abide in Jesus.