"How are you doing?"

"How are you doing?"

"How are you doing?" Those are the words that I have heard a lot lately! Although not the most exciting response and sometimes not the most sincere I tend to respond "Doing Good." Now the words as individual words do not hold a lot of context. But, I do believe that the meaning, when combined with my current life situation, hold an entirely different premise.

On Sunday, July 27th my family and I began a new adventure. We accepted a "call" to serve in a sister church located in another town. This is not an unusual thing for full time Pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention. In fact most Pastors and staff tend to stay at a church less than five years. The last I heard, the average was eighteen months to three years. But, for my family, this was a Big deal. You see we have been in Orange Park for over fourteen years. I have served on staff at First Orange Park that entire time. Here is a brief summary of our time in Orange Park.

Tricia and I came to OP in May of Two-Thousand with no home and no children. We lived with the Senior Pastor at that time and his wife (Brother Alan Harrod & Mrs. Joyce) for several months. We purchased our first home. We had two children. We purchased a larger home. We now have five children.

So, for Tricia and I to accept another position at another church in another town is a big deal for us. As I shared with the church family at First OP last Sunday, "We have not made this decision lightly." In fact it was with many hours of prayer and through seeking advice from several trusted mentors and advisors that we concluded that this was the "Next" that God was calling us to.

Now back to the "How are you doing?" Many good, honest, friendly, loving people have asked me that question over the past days. Most of them mean with sincerity what they are asking. But there are a few who just wish to be well, lets say, just inquisivtive. I even had one person say "Has your heart left yet?" I had to ask what they meant. They went on to say that in their experience your heart leaves where you currently are followed by your mind and then body.  Friends, my heart and mind have not left OP yet! (some may say I "Lost" my mind many years ago but I have not lost focus on my current situation)

The reality is that Tricia and I have invested fourteen years of our life in OP. We have poured sweat, tears and even blood into this community. We are not leaving because we have to. We are leaving because we feel called to! This is not done lightly or in any way, shape or form easily. I have fourteen years of "stuff" I have to pack up and move in seven days all the while getting my home ready to sale which includes finishing three unfinished home improvement projects. We have five children that still need our time and attention, bills to pay and a huge ministry event to plan (Heart2Heart Preteen Girls Conference in September). We believe that God is in this! We believe that God is ahead of this, behind this and all over this. We are looking forward to serving alongside Pastor Derek and the family of First Baptist High Springs!

But, for right here, right now, here is the reality- If I were to unload and answer the question "How are you doing?"with detail I would have to say, "I am tired, stressed, excited, overloaded and like a kid the night before Christmas all rolled up into one."

So, if You ask me "How are you doing?" depending on what is going on at that moment I will probably say "Doing Good" and most of the time I mean it!

Thank you First OP family for the love and support over the past fourteen plus years!

We love you and will miss you!

PS: If you ask me "How can we help?" I have a list I can give you! :)