JESUS MY BRIDGE...

Jesus, My Bridge...what does it mean you ask?? Well if you would have asked me 24 hours ago my answer would have been different as now I have more of a glimpse into God's plan for me and my family.

I struggled with how to start this blog post. For those of you who know me you know I am rarely at a loss for words. However, our God seems to be the only one who can put me at such a loss. I am always in such amazement of how he knows me better than I know myself. Everytime I started to write I didn't feel my words were good enough to bring him Glory.

There is no short or easy way to explain it so I might as well just start and tell it from my heart. So, here it goes....

As many of you know I am a member of the Wolfpack Football Board. I joined the team earlier this year and was recruited by a dear friend Tracy Hallan who said "come on Pam, help us with our comms and website". Of course I said "yes" as I always have a hard time saying "no" when it involves helping someone or something of a good cause. So, I joined the board not really knowing why or where it fit in God's plan for my life and my walk with the Lord.

It wasn't until the season started in July that I began to realize it was not by chance that both Tracy, I and so many others wound up on that football field together. I found myself on a leadership team of many Christians and many families needing served. There are too many examples to share on this one post but I promise to share over time. For now, please trust me, that field has been right where God has wanted me all along. It has become my Ministry and God is leading me each step of the way.

What started out as a communications and website position turned into a position of leading the team moms/dads as well as managing the volunteer program and coordinating volunteers for all events and games.

I knew in my heart that there was a reason God had put me on that field and I have struggled with understanding the reason WHY since the day I walked on. I knew there were many families needing to find Christ as their savior so they can cross the "Bridge". However, the missing link was "HOW" do I get them there? How could little ol' me possibly help all these families I hardly know and who half the time think I am the crazy lady once again asking for more volunteers!!??

How do I serve God and also serve the community via the Wolfpack Football League? . I knew He would share the answer but in his own time as he had some lessons he needed to teach me first so that it would make more sense and that I could be a better disciple.

Each day as I struggled with juggling more than full time job, 2 kids, a marriage needing God's grace and now a 2nd full time job called WOLFPACK, I was amazed at the strength God gave me to do it all and still find the courage and time to walk on that field every singe day, stay up until wee hours of the morning working on volunteer or communication "stuff". Never before had I spent so much time volunteering and never before had it felt so good?

Even though I had served as a Sunday School teacher and an Awana Leader, I never worked as many hours weekly as what I have been doing with Wolfpack? So why was I doing this? It was to teach me I could give much more of my time than I ever had before!! Why wasn't I serving in the church? I asked myself this every single day? However, over and over God kept putting the answer right in my head.... Wolfpack is where you need to be.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

I have cried many tears both happy and sad thru Wolfpack. Through the Grace of God I was able to see the true power of people and the community. When organizing volunteers you truly see the best and worst of people. I have met so many amazing and giving people that I would have never had the opportunity to meet or know had I not served in such a capacity. There are numerous examples of his Grace and leadership. He never fails you when you are doing his work.

Regarding the “Wolfpack Plan”…. He had given me "hints" along the way but never could I put the pieces together. Volunteers can quit at anytime- they’re not getting paid, have no commitment and really owe you nothing. Many families of Wolfpack kept asking me “how do you and your husband and the other members of the board do all of this?” The answer was very simple, “Through God’s Grace, he Gives me Strength!!!” I found myself sharing my faith more confidently and open than ever before! God was putting the words in my mouth right when and where I needed them!!!

Because of the power of people I was seeing daily, I did start to get "ideas" in my head. I thought "if we can accomplish so much on this football field, what could we do if we gathered up all the Christians in the Fishhawk area and worked together for greater cause?” The thought of seeing the miracles of God that I had seen thru Wolfpack amplified thru the broader community brought tears of joy to my eyes every time I thought about it. However, I had no idea how to do it. How could lil' ol' me ever who is so over committed in all areas of life find the time to help with such a larger task?

I did start to play with the idea a little bit. I created a Group on Facebook for the Fishhawk friends and family to join together for fellowship and for the good of our community. I thought if somehow I could get the Church's and Christians of Fishhawk working together for the greater good of our community there would be no better gift. It was amazing that in only a few days I began to see people I didn't even know join the group. My husband and I kept thinking,...."hmmm...we might be on to something". However, we still struggled with the "bridge" or what was going to help us connect the dots from Wolfpack, Fishhawk Community, Fishhawk Fellowship Church and most importantly Christ? We just kept praying, and knew that eventually he would lead the way.

So, FINALLY TODAY, September 21, 2008 He provided the answer! It was today in Church as our Senior Pastor, David Whitten shared our new Mission and plans for our church that the first major piece of the puzzle came. I am not claiming to have all the pieces but now have enough to know that this is what he wants me to do.

Fishhawk Fellowship Church MISSION:

Building BRIDGES that CONNECT people to a passionate life in CHRIST!!!

There it was....right in front of me. Even though I had listened to many sermons on serving, community, discipleship and more... this was the first time I was actually in the perfect place at the perfect time to make a difference!!!! It was an amazing experience sitting and listening to David’s lesson today. It always feels like he is talking specifically to me. However, today I KNEW that I wasn't just there to listen or internalize it personally, I was there to ACT and do what I was being told to do NOW for the greater good of OTHERS!

I have not been able to stop thinking about God’s amazing plan since I left church today. The message was so loud and clear there is no possible way I can ignore it! Thru God, I have so many ideas running thru my head of how we can build these bridges from the community to Christ

So what are they you ask? You’ll have to wait a little longer to find out!

Stay Tuned….it’s going to be a “Howlin’ Good Ride” across the BRIDGE! Wanna come????

I can GUARANTEE you we are going to build many BRIDGES and I can NOT wait!! With JESUS as our Guide there is nothing we can't do!!

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Disciple: A person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and is committed to following Christ in a life of continual learning and obedience.