After living in Texas for about a year I got a call from my college roommate telling me that he and his wife were moving out to Texas as well. He was going to be attending seminary working on a master's degree. I immediately invited them to Fellowship and started working on ways to get him a job with me in the Jr. High ministry. He was offered a job and we worked together for a few years. While we were working at Fellowship, Perry had started NewSpring and from time to time would fly out to Texas to attend a conference or ask questions about Fellowship's beginnings, programs, and ministry in general.
Once seminary was complete, my roommate got offered a job back home in Anderson to join the staff of NewSpring. We continue to keep in touch and I have been able to see all the great things he has been a part of at NewSpring. A couple of years ago he knew God was calling him to start a church in Florence and is now the NewSpring Campus Pastor in Florence. (Are you keeping up with connecting the dots? Love how God has a plan!)
I had thought about moving back to South Carolina about once a year since moving to Texas, but it was never what God wanted. The last year and a half of my employment I could not stop thinking that God wanted me to resign. As my wife and I talked and prayed about it, it just wouldn't go away. In April of last year we knew it was what we were supposed to do. So, we prayed knowing that this possibly meant neither of us would have a job, but that I was going to resign on July 17th (our ten year wedding anniversary.) God had shown Himself so faithful in our first ten years. What a way to start the next! We were not as excited as that sounds!! We were scared, afraid, and wondering if were we foolish?
On July 17th I resigned from my job with no job to go to and no idea what was next. I knew that God would be faithful and I prayed that He would show me what He wanted next for me. I never called about a job or answered an add. I knew God would provide. From July to January I received about ten calls about job opportunities. My answer was always the same: I don't know if I'm interested, but I would love to hear what you have to say. I knew God would show me what He wanted me to do when He wanted to. He would be FAITHFUL!
The first week of December my wife and I talked about leaving Texas. We knew our time was up here. That night we prayed that God would move us, and if it could be closer to family that would be great! A couples days later I got an email about a job in Atlanta. Two weeks later I got another email about another job in Atlanta, and three weeks later a text from Perry asking me if I had ever thought about working at NewSpring. (That's a funny story I'll save for another time.)
I am blown away that God would use me to do anything in His church much less help start one in Charleston. God is faithful and He will never leave you or forsake you!
That's how I got to NewSpring!
