One week down!  As you read this, I’m beginning the second week of Sabbatical renewal leave.  Since I’m writing this ahead of time, I can’t report on it, but I will be sharing a report later one.

I’m asking you to pray this week especially for our Vancouver Partnership: for West Coast Baptist Association, for Zendeh Church, for Amin and Sepideh as they lead the church, and for the future work among Farsi speaking people in the region.  The semi-annual church planting advocates meeting is happening this week and neither Dave Woodbury nor I were able to attend this time. We will be sharing about future Vancouver opportunities soon.

This week’s book (depending on if I have finished the first one) is Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World (Shelly Miller). This week is mostly about decluttering (literally). My home office and closets are going to get a serious relook this week. Some things will be filed and shelved. Some things will be going to the trash. Some things will be going to Goodwill. Some things will be given away to other people.

The point is to make my office a welcoming place where I want to spend time and where I am inspired, rather than a place where I have to push things aside to be able to get anything done.

I admit that I tend to hang onto things too long.  Sometimes for sentimental reasons. Sometimes because I think I’ll be able to use them at some point.  But the truth is that they have become distractions that keep me from focusing on what matters most.

It’s time to review and rethink.

Can you relate? At home? At work? At church?  What are the things that we are grasping too tightly that keep us distracted from our purpose and calling?

We are cultivating a Kingdom-focused culture of engaging churches.

How can we sow seeds of transformation into your local church?