Sometimes I stop and take stock of who I really am. And the sad reality is that I’m often a very selfish person. I walk around in the middle of me. I put on my “me” lenses and that’s how I see the world. Everything filtered through my feelings, my thoughts, my prejudices, my hopes, my failings, my worries, my achievements, my expectations. Me. Me. Me. Ever happen to you? It’s an ugly and disturbing place to find oneself. The middle of me. So I thank God for my friends, my church family, my faith that pushes “me” out of the way and puts me back in the middle of God. God’s lenses are crystal clear. There is joy, peace, and grace upon grace. There is room for forgiveness, second chances, and hope when all hope seems lost. There is love that covers a multitude of sins. There is wisdom from His Spirit that I don’t deserve, yet still is available to me. There is an eternal perspective that makes all the petty fall away. After six years of partnering with a theological education program that seemed to be going absolutely nowhere, David was pretty much mired in “pessimistic me.” But God chose to keep working through him anyway. God’s funny like that. The leaders of the school decided to form an extension program with a seminary in Oaxaca, Mexico. Fifteen students began Saturday classes three weeks ago. Energy is high again. Minds are soaking in a fresh understanding of God’s Word. New leaders are being trained. David said, “They have more questions than I can ever answer. It’s exciting!” A shift. We were back in the middle of God. Joyce and five other women of Crossroads are embarking on a vision to begin a Christian bi-lingual school in La Paz, probably starting with a high school. It’s a daunting task. Recruiting teachers, curriculum, location, and accreditation. The list goes on. In a meeting over the weekend, Joyce remembers being totally overwhelmed by the entire dream. God, why would you choose me to do this? I have no skills. No background in education. No business experience. Sound familiar? Think burning bush in Exodus and it might ring a bell. But then Ana spoke up. “We’ll just have to start somewhere and try. We can’t plan for everything. Sometimes you just have to risk. If we believe God gave us the vision, it will go forward.” A shift. We were back in the middle of God. Crossroads has been growing, evolving, changing. But it’s a transient ministry. We’d just get some people with leadership potential trained, and then they’d move away. After the third couple, we were somewhat annoyed with God. “Look, we can’t do this all by ourselves! We’re running out of energy, at the edge of our limits. We don’t even know if this is what we’re supposed to be doing!” Hear all the “me” in that? Not that God couldn’t take it. God loves honest interaction. But we had to stop, listen, and hear God say, “You’re not by yourselves. I’m right there beside you. Just trust me. Walk by faith, not by sight.” A shift. We were back in the middle of God. Thank you for praying for us, for believing in us, for encouraging us when we falter, when we lose sight of the goal, when we’re stuck in the middle of “me”. You help bring us back, keep us grounded, remind us why were here. A shift. And we’re back in the middle of God. In Christ, David and Joyce