Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Journal Entry - 5 of 5

Personal Journal Entry Note #5 of 5 – October 25, 2015 Published November 20, 2015

Overview: The purpose of Our Journey His-story (OJHS) journal is for you to learn what to do when you are faced with a crisis, have a map and blueprint to trace your steps when you face a seemingly insurmountable problem and for Pastor & Sheep to live out our faith together as “He who begin a good work in us will bring it to completion” Phil 1: 6.  We will "finish what we started".  I begin this OJHS personal prayer journal entry with a summary of journal entries I've had since February. As I share with you my journaling, I believe it is important that I bring everyone up to date and you see how God operates during painful periods in our life, how he can operate in your life and how he is operating at New Life
The more banks I tell our story to the more angry I get.  One bank meeting the banker told us they feel like we have grounds to sue the bank that did this… I wasn’t sure whether they were baiting me to see if I would play the victim…I told them I didn’t have time to be a victim…I had a vision and I would be victorious if they give us the loan…banks stick together so being a victim would make the bank the villain…just don’t trust the lawsuit suggestion…
        My prayers were so powerful…my journaling so reflective; my banking meetings so constant…I am not giving up.  One bank says maybe; another says no; still another doesn’t return a call…still more prayer…Lord I know you got us Lord.  I know you are with us no matter how the meetings go.
        My faith is soaring even though I don’t see any end in sight.  I met with a lot of leaders individually and collectively and all of them to a person are full of faith.  We have circled the wagons…I feel God is about to move but I don’t know when. 
        More prayer…more meetings…more calls…then a trip to Dallas for MegaFest.  Bishop Jakes church finance consultant/advisor wants me to meet with one more person…the advisor is not happy with the process…he is assertive, confident of victory but frustrated with the length of time its taking…  We meet in the lobby of the hotel and we discuss in detail everything…I am believing God…the Lord reminds me of my meeting with the focus group of LifeChangers who told me others are wondering why the youth building is not completed and why are things taking so long.  So during my meeting I begin to believe God to do everything.  You have not cause you ask not so I ask…with a firm handshake and clean eye contact I ask for everything. Not only restart construction but add the youth building.  I am really going to trust God.
        The more we talk the more I believe God is at work.  Weeks go by and I see the hand of God working through this lender.  We discuss how to change the scope to not do some classrooms and office space and add the youth building.  They say yes.  but I don’t agree right away.  I put them on hold for a few days…I’ve gone from crying for a yes to telling the bank with the yes I will get back to them…I’m not crazy, I’m full of faith and I have to make sure no one else gives me a better deal – God is at work.  I put the pastoral staff on a fast and I agree to the bank coming to be in church…Everything is going our way – God’s way – Yes! Yes! Yes!  I agree.  Now it’s more documents and one thing after another to get to closing. 
Everyday more meetings; lawyer…mayor…architect… contractor…staff… vision board…and then repeat all that over again.  Now the Summit is here and every preacher is confirming what’s going on behind the scenes…I can’t wait; I call, text and email the bank one more time to get the yes documented before loan docs are done and before I tell the LifeChangers.  We talk Friday night as well as Saturday all during the day.  I’m satisfied…although we haven’t closed.  It’s time to tell everyone what God has done.  God you are so faithful.  You timed this from Thursday February 26th to now.  Every 227 days; every 5448 hours; every 326,880 minutes; every 19,612,800 seconds of this wait was worth it.  You increased our faith – you kept us together.  We kept growing spiritually and numerically…now we are restarting the building….with the Youth Building – Hallelujah – Thank you Jesus. 
Please see contractor schedule for the OJHS below.  All dates can change depending on weather and subcontractor availability. 

YOUTH BUILDING OBLIGATION TO THE GENERATION
Mobilize Equipment                 end of November – December 1st  
Electrical                                 January 1st week
Plumbing                                         January 3rd week
Dry Wall/Studs                        February 1st week
Punch List                               February last week
Ready for Occupancy              March 2nd Week
SANCTUARY EXPANSION (MORE SEATS, MORE SOULS)

Schedule still pending             Hopefully start before Christmas

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for your thoughts! Come again soon!

Virtual Family Sunday Questions

What ways can we create community as a family? How has our viewership/church attendance enhanced or diminished our family covenant? What way...