Season of Change

Friends,

If you've followed me on this blog you will no doubt noticed that you haven't heard from me in a very long time. Sometimes life reaches a frenzied pace and unfortunately when that happens in my life, my blog lies dormant for a season. Today I am hoping that many friends through Facebook and Twitter will simply get caught up on where The Peters are at in life.

In April of 2011, Jason and I both joined the staff at Albany First Assembly. Jason was to serve as the Associate Pastor of Worship and I, the Children's Pastor. Over the next two years God did some amazing things in and through both Jason and I. Thankful for the opportunity to serve together, we dove in and worked hard.

Sometimes in life and ministry (which truly are one in the same for Jason and I) we experience tough times and circumstances we simply do not understand. In mid July of this year circumstances were such that Jason and I both were not able to continue in our positions at Albany First. It's one of those hard times when it was not our choice, but God spoke clearly to our hearts to "Be Still."

Being still for us, after much prayer, meant that we would stay put in Albany. Three of our four kids are in school, and it just did not seem either practical or wise to move our kids a month before a new school year began. I began to remember something God had spoken to my heart back in early Spring of this year...to hold the kids at Albany First loosely in my hands, while holding my own four tightly. Seems like a no brainer, doesn't it? Well you would think so, but I was working hard for the church and not quite as hard at home. (Yes, ouch...a tough one to admit). I have long felt that God did not wire me for stay-at-home-momdom, and was quite content kissing their heads on my way out the door to change the world one child at a time. But then July came. My ability to pastor kids was clearly in question and I began grappling to find my purpose in life.

As began to think and pray, and after a handful of job applications and interviews, God began to show me that my purpose in this season is to put ALL of my effort into raising our four kids to be world changers. That looks different every day. Sometimes it means really deep conversations with Madelyn our 12 year old or prayer with Elyse, our 10 year old. Sometimes it simply means a nutritious lunch for JJ after a morning at Kindergarten, and yesterday it meant taking care of my sick two year old, Norah. A lot of times it's just laughing at jokes, walks to the park, trips to the pumpkin patch or going out for ice cream. Sometimes  it's answering hard questions, opening my bible to show them what God has to say on things, and lately, wiping away tears and calming fears about the future. What it is everyday though, is exactly what God wants for me for this season.

Jason and I are both learning that our identity does not lie in a position at a church. It's in being a child of God and follower of Christ. It means looking for opportunities to serve and share...befriending a neighbor or working hard at whatever we are doing. After 12 1/2 years of full time ministry, we are excited about what God is teaching us in this season. We are attending a great church and soaking in the authenticity of it, sitting in services together for the first time ever, and God is healing our hearts.

For now we do not know what is next. God provided a job for Jason at State Farm Insurance, and I'm going to stay at home with our kids for as long as God makes that possible. We are praying that we do not miss the next step, and we remain wide open to whatever God will do in and through us and our kids. Hard seasons come, and change is tough, but our God is good and is leading us through every day, every step.


With thanks,

Aimee