Time in Detroit

I am so thankful for my recent time in in Detroit.  I was reminded of some things that I need to keep in front of me all the time.

It was a great trip, but a short one.  My heart is always filled with emotion when I travel to Detroit.  First of all, because of my family and increasing number of dear friends in the area.  It is quickly becoming a home away from home.

It was so great to spend time with Daniel, Sadie and Timothy.  It was great to explore Detroit with them and to share some of the city with our good friend James Goodwin.  It is a joy on a level I can hardly express to do ministry with your grown children.   To see the call that God has placed on Daniel and Sadie's life and to see them being obedient to that call is about more than this heart can handle.  I am so proud of them both.  God is at work in Detroit and is at work in their lives.  He is using them as they invest their lives in the people of the area.

I had a great time in Detroit with James.  He is a mission's person who sees things through the eyes of Jesus.  He is an encourager.  He naturally encourages other people along the way.  He spent a great deal of time with Daniel and Sadie.  He really helped them to think through some of their next steps. He helped them clarify their vision and what needs to be accomplished next.

James prayed with and prayed over the plans being made.   He looked through the area with the eyes of a missionary.  Each day we would talk about what God was saying to him and what he felt like were his next steps.  He also started thinking about a team to come this summer.

I really believe our team will consists of one team with folks from 2-3 churches, in this early stage of the work in Detroit.  I am so excited to see God at work.  I am looking forward to our trip this summer.

I also had the privilege and fun to see things through my 3 year old grandson, Timothy.  Stephanie and I always bring him some things when we come.  I have always made it a practice of having something in my carry on luggage I can give him when I first see him.  Then we usually have more things in our suitcase to give him once we get to the house.   It was great to watch the joy in his face as he opened the little things we brought him.  It is really not the amount, it is just that we care.  Grandmama, as always, set me up for success.

This trip allowed us to spend a lot of time together one on one.  Each morning we spent about an hour just the two of us talking.  He is very interested in fire alarms and told me everything he knows about them and asked me lots of questions.   It was such a precious time and I would not trade it for the world.  He is growing up into a wonderful young boy.  He is certainly not a baby.

He made me laugh on Sunday morning.  We were on the way to the early service at their church before my flight home.  Timothy seemed to not be in the best of moods.  Finally, Daniel asked him, "Honey why are you in such an ill mood this morning?"  He said, "Someone pushed my button."  I laughed until I literally cried.

Soon enough, I really did cry as I said good bye at the airport to my son, daughter in law, grandson, and new baby Wright on the way.   The time is always too short, but I am so thankful for every minute.