Monday's The Big Day

Got a call from the Cleveland Clinic today. Monday at 10 a.m. is when Chaia has the CT scan done to find out if the treatment to reverse the calcifications is doing anything or not. Ultimately, I don't know that much changes in way of treatment/prognosis, other than that if they find that it is working, then we can hope for continued stabilized heart function, or maybe even improving heart function. Perhaps too, heart transplant candidacy could be a more viable option if she improves. We aren't there yet. But oddly, I feel very little anticipation or build up to this test. We've been waiting over 5 months to find out if the treatment is working. And yet, I have a strange peace and almost an apathy toward the testing. Maybe it is because Chaia has made such positive strides. Maybe it is because we know that the outlook has been bleak for so long. All I can say for certain is that we continue to move forward with stewarding Chaia to God. And calcifications or no calcifications, our calling does not change. Your calling is the same as ours in that regard. Everything God gives you, from children, to wealth, to the breath you just took is all to be leveraged back to Him in worship. So enjoy God today. Be attentive to the things He has given you today rather than the things you feel you lack. He is more than enough. More than able. And in Him we are More than conquerors.

A Silver Lining

When Shaina and I received the Green Light from Stadia (Church Planting Organization) at Assessment in Chicago back in June, one of the things that they encouraged us to consider pursuing was Shaina completing her college degree. She has two years in Music Education, but really got burnt out on the 'science' of music and was cool with working me through undergrad and seminary after we got married. Shaina has talked about going back a few different times, but just didn't have an area that she was passionate about pursuing. Then, we spent 103 days in the hospital and our little girl went from bad to worse, to hanging on, to having a fighting chance, to step down, to home. And that whole process, as hard as it was, had a silver lining, and that was the nurses. Both at Akron Children's and Cleveland Clinic, there were nurses who came and had a significant impact on our lives. You can tell the nurses who actually care enough to enter into your story, care for the whole family, who go the extra mile to walk with you. Then, you can tell the nurses that are just there to punch in and punch out to get paid. In all this hardship, Shaina has felt like becoming a PICU nurse might be in her future. There is no one I could think of who could be more equipped, more sensitive, and more capable of fulfilling a role like that. It remains to be seen how Chaia's story pans out, but a new calling has emerged from a painful journey and perhaps in the coming years, we will see Shaina living missionally in the classroom at OSU as a nursing student! I am a big fan of watching passion capture and direct people's lives. It makes a huge difference to wake up and be thrilled about what you get to do that day. So if you're dreading the day today, maybe it's time to revisit what makes you come alive? Because you've got one shot at this deal...you don't have time to waste your life

Prayers and Pics

Your Prayers Matter. Here are specifics for this week: 1. I am preaching at Pulse in Plain City this Sunday. Pray for chunks of time to be carved out and for God to really take me where I need to go in sharing God's Word. Pray for anointing for me as the message bringer and for the people at Pulse as the message recipients. 2. Pray for Shaina and I to continue to pursue each other in our marriage. We have been in high stress survival mode for so long that it has potential to strain our relationship. So this week, I will ante up and take Shaina to her Super Bowl Victory spoils, The Fiddler on the Roof. Pray for me. haha. 3. Pray for our housing search this week. Our goal is to try to hit up 5-10 prospects on Saturday. Where we live is one of the most important decisions in this process. We need to have clear confirmation of where God is taking us because the community/neighborhood we land in is our primary mission field. 4. Praise God for hearing prayers regarding Chaia's feeds. She has gone one week from today without losing any of her feeds. She is still growing. Continue to pray Ezekiel 36:26 over her. Please also pray specifically that we would make some significant progress in getting her to eat orally this week. She is such a sweetheart. We had the chance to join back up with our new friends, Kevin and Sarah Ishler. Sarah is the photographer who you all love (many without ever meeting her), because she has captured Chaia's story through her lens. Well, this time we got to go to them rather than them coming to the Cleveland Clinic. And Chaia had a blast. Here are a few sneak peaks to start your week off right!

Lessons Learned

We've had some technical difficulties in the mustard world, but it looks like we are back up and running. This Sunday is a pretty significant milestone for us, as it will be our final Sunday as part of the Wadsworth United Methodist Church. The Church has been wonderful, both to serve in and most recently to walk through Chaia's story with us. So we will be at all 3 services and then the Church is hosting a final benefit lunch for Chaia at noon. Hope to see you there! In the meantime, I was reflecting about our time at Wadsworth and had a couple of insights of lessons I've learned. Here they are. Generosity and Health go hand in hand. -One key attribute of a healthy Church is that they give generously. Not just to the offering plate, but to where God is at work all around them. I remember sitting in a Bible Study with a group of about 10 young adults. We were reading about the difference between sheep and goats and how the sheep served the "least of these". The discussion of who embodied that most in the world led us to Africa and before we knew it, we were taking a team there and the Church invested deeply in support of this. This trip has helped to steer the dreams and ambitions of many of the people from that trip. Godly Leadership Involves Both Vision and a Towel -I think often, we settle for one or the other. Sometimes the visionary knows the hill he is to take the people up to conquer, but does not have a servant's heart to love and pastor the people on the journey. Others don't know where or what the Promised Land is, but will care well for the people as they wander aimlessly in the wilderness for 40 years. So vision (revelation from God about where He desires to take the people) is key to effective leadership. But so is the towel, being willing to love, serve and help the people along the way...even though some will desert you, some will betray you, some will reject you. And still, the way of Jesus involves a towel...and ultimately a cross. Prayer Alters the Landscape -Akin to dynamite, prayer changes things. God led us as a Church to a series called ONE PRAYER. As we learned more and more to desire God's Presence and kneel, the hardship and trials the church experienced seemed to heighten. God was readying us for a road that would require us to depend on Him. Want to know how a church is doing? You can measure it's pulse by it's prayer life. I know with all that is in me that the thousands of people who have knelt on Chaia's behalf are why she still has a fighting chance today. We must pray like our lives depend on it...because they do. Old People Who Love Jesus Make Me Giddy -I used to think old people stood in the way of accomplishing what God wanted to do in the Church (half kidding). But more and more I am realizing that the more a church has people finishing the race of faith well, the more of a foundation the next generations have for the future. We stand on the shoulders of the saints who've gone before, paving the way in prayer and costly obedience so that our faith has legs to stand on. To see folks who are much further down the road in their spiritual walk than me still kneeling out of desperation for God to bring revival, still passionate about connecting in Christian fellowship and community, still hungering for God's Word to stir their hearts. As Craig Groeschel has said, "If you're not dead, you're not done." God has a calling for you as long as He gives you breath in your lungs. Shaina and I have had a pretty jaded view of the Church in the U.S. in the past. We have defiantly and arrogantly shaken our fist at God and said, "Is this your bride?" And during our time at WUMC, we have felt God's adamant response, "Absolutely, yes it is. And blemished and imperfect as she may be, She is still my bride and those who love me, love her." Because of my last few years in ministry, I am hope-full about this Church and the Church, that She is indeed God's plan A for the world and there is no plan B.

Prayer This Week

Good Monday Morning! (oxymoron?)

Thank you for your prayers. We had a pretty solid week this past week, meeting up with some friends, making some new friends and sharing what God has placed on our hearts.

Here are 5 ways to pray this week.

1. We get sad a lot. I think it is still the whirlwind of where we've been combined with the complete unknown of where we are going (specifically with Chaia). Pray that we can really center in on the gift of each day and be determined every week to make meaningful memories with Chaia.

2. With that, Chaia is doing fairly well. She is stable and adorable...that is as good as it gets. So that sadness isn't related to new bad news...its just lingering. Chaia needs prayer for continuing to keep feeds down and thriving with unfortified breast milk. Pray Ezekiel 36:26 this week for all three of us.

3. Pray for the Management Team to passionately pursue their calling in leadership and accountability with the church plant in Columbus.

4. Pray for us to continue to boldly and gladly share what God is stirring as we have conversations with friends throughout this week.

5. Pray for us as we finish our time at Wadsworth UMC this coming Sunday. Pray for strength as this is absolutely bittersweet. We will be commissioned at all three services and then will be part of reception/farewell fundraiser for the Chaia Joy Thompson fund.

I am absolutely convinced that your bold persistence in prayer has direct correlation with God's work in Columbus and all over the world.

Please. Don't. Stop.

Life or Death...Your Choice

As Shaina and I have adapted over the last month to being at home, to caring for Chaia around the clock, to the hospital/pediatrician routine, to fixing our gaze toward Columbus, we've noticed something new come to the surface in our relationship.

I call it the jab.

It's when you know that saying this one thing might leave a stinger, it might instigate emotion, it might initiate some guilt, it might manipulate into action.

You know that saying this one thing isn't in your mate's best interest and it isn't in your own best interest.

And you jab anyway.

Shaina and I have been met with God's mercy in our 8 years of marriage. Even in our first years (married as 20 year olds), stress did not seem to attack or hinder our marriage.

So since we've been home, we've been sleep deprived, routine deprived, often exercise deprived, and we jab.

Look, guys, you know exactly what you're doing when you say that thing that coerces your girl to a certain end. Manipulating your wife's emotions and heart is not okay.

Ladies, you're not off the hook on this either. Speaking in ways that fail to respect your husband and honor him is not okay. Whether he is there or not, belittling him will damage your intimacy. Often, when we show honor to someone, they become more honorable (not the other way around).

Healthy communication is vital to the success of any relationship (including our relationship with God.)

So here's three thoughts on this.

1. Is it Life Giving or Life Stealing...Your words have the power of life and death. (James 3) Choosing to speak in life-giving ways will enrich your relationships. For the record, sarcasm is almost always life-stealing. This is a slap in the face for me, because I am a big fan of sarcasm. Ultimately though, sarcasm is rooted in building ones' self up at the expense of others.

2. Choose to never match or outdo intensity. I notice this in many relationships, person A starts to raise their voice and their tone becomes more sharp or pointed. Then person B matches the tirade of person A. Taking a step back and speaking truth in love is everything.

3. Speak to wounding. This is most often overlooked. Rather than share with Shaina if something stung, I calculate my retaliation measure and seek to strike back. But being willing to share hurt and wounding is the place where God often brings healing and wholeness.

Shaina and I are working on what it means to live in a high stress context and how planning for each other to have margin (time away from the grind), as well as time spent specifically on each other. In marriage, pursuit of each other never stops.

It really is a matter of life and death.

And the jabs stopping means life beginning.

So what relationship do you need to restore healthy and open communication?

Where do you need to choose life?

Tiny Words

"The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus"
Romans 6:10-11

I've been trudging through Romans for the past few weeks.

And the tiniest of words has a hold on me this morning.

The death Jesus died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

To God.

Not for God.

But to God.

For God suggests we're helping Him out...That we are needed. It is less relationship and more action and duty.

To God is about connection...an aligning of my will to God. Everything about me accountable to Him...Lifted To Him. Connected to Him.

I don't speak and live for Him in this world. I speak and live to Him. My audience isn't the crowds of people. I'm not living the faith to them. I'm living to Him. He is the aim. He is the reward. He is it.

We aren't alive for God in Christ Jesus...we are alive to Him.

It insinuates a continual availability, a perpetual shaping, an openness to new movements of His leading.

Tiny words...but substantial impact.

Even When I Lose I Win

So right after I lost the Super Bowl bet and lost out on my date night opportunity at a Cavs game (instead, I must endure the play of Shaina's choosing), I ended up getting tickets from my buddy for the Cavs-Pacers game last night.

So Miss Chaia spent the evening with Nurse Kaitlyn, one of our PICU friends and Shaina and I joined our friends for dinner and a Cavs Win.

For what it's worth, Kyrie Irving is the real deal. I said that in the preseason and it is confirmed again watching him in person last night. He is quick, intelligent and unselfish...and he's 19. I'm 29 and I'm not any of those.

Anyways, after the game, we got news from the geneticist who originally diagnosed Chaia at the Cleveland Clinic and who has been in correspondence with the doctor in Germany that Chaia indeed has a certain mutated gene that lends itself to GACI. So we continue the course we're on.

No surprise there.

For us...or for God. I've said this before, but it is important for us to remember that God has not been befuddled by this genetic mutation. He is not despairing at a heavenly oversight in creation. He knows. He cares. And He is at work.

Maybe that's what we all need to realize today. In the midst of the pain, busyness, chaos, frustration, joy, love, relationship, suffering, heartache, hope, crisis, _______________, etc.

He Knows. He cares. And He is at work.

And that matters.

An End and A New Beginning

So, February 26 will be our final Sunday at Wadsworth United Methodist Church.

This has been a great ministry experience for both Shaina and myself.

A lot happened in 4 years time. Hard to believe God led us to take two teams to Kenya, two groups to Passion, to form a new wave of Small Groups that center on discipleship and the Scriptures, to serve the community collaboratively with other Wadsworth Churches, and so many countless other endeavors.

In recent months, we shifted from ministering to WUMC to being ministered to by WUMC. They have rejoiced where we have rejoiced and grieved where we have grieved with Chaia's story. So thankful for this community.

They've even organized one final Chaia fundraiser for after church on the 26th. It has been humbling to experience the outpouring of support for our family from so many unexpected places.

So, join us. February 26. Church Services are at 8:15, 9:30 and 11:00 and the fundraiser lunch will be at noon.

If you're in the Wadsworth area and are looking for a faith community, Wadsworth UMC is absolutely a place to check out.

It's the Little Things

Ok...got to be honest...been in a funk recently.

I stated a handful of times this weekend that the solution to various issues I was having was to shoot people. That's not very pastoral. haha.

I think the combination of high stress and low sleep in crisis has caught up to me.

The verses that some old guy smacked me with are 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

These three little things have been tough to do lately.

Rejoice always...because no matter what, Jesus has altered my destiny.

Pray Continually...because prayer = my demonstration of my need for relationship with God. (So then, what does prayerlessness = ?)

Give thanks in all circumstances...Even when the circumstances aren't good. Even when you don't 'feel' thankful.

This funk has me thankless. My heart has gone to what I may not have with Chaia. I may not get to interrogate boyfriends. I may not get to walk her down the aisle. I may not get to teach her about Christ, biblical Hebrew, how to play sports and play music.

When we aren't thankful...we focus on what we don't have rather than praising for what we do.

Chaia is over 7 months old. She is defying odds every day she pushes forward. I got to clean up a pile of yack from this morning's feed, which means she is awake for another day. I get to walk through this hard journey with my best friend, Shaina and see her strength and resiliency. I have watched the Church and family and friends rally around us as a family in need of support, which has shown me such hope and potential in God's Bride. I am not jaded with the Church. I am thankful for the Church. And this morning, when I was getting meds for Chaia at some hour in the morning that I resent being up, I saw this:

Yes it is a bunch of unwholesome, unhealthiness. But its mine! My wife thought of me. In the midst of the chaos, she thought of me.

Look your circumstances will either lead you to thankfulness or they will lead you to self-pity, frustration, and coveting what you don't have. Scripture is pretty clear which is the better way.

So, on a day that brings up so many various thoughts and emotions from so many...get over it...be thankful for what you do have and live well.

Five things that show your attitude of gratitude today?

Me? Redemption.My Wife.Church.Mountain Dew.And this:

Weekend Update and How to Pray

Good Monday to you.

We had a good weekend in Columbus. Caught up with some friends and also had the opportunity to preach for the first time in months. I realized how much I missed it and how there really is a fire in my bones to share the Word of God.

Unfortunately the -5 windchill Saturday made us postpone our zoo trip. I was definitely the most disappointed about it, but we will make it happen soon I hope.

My cousin Staci came from 40 minutes away to sit with Chaia so that we could go out with our hosts for the weekend and just catch up and process what has been happening with Chaia, with Church Planting and with life in general. Chaia had fun and we had fun...pretty good deal.

This week is calendarlicious. Lots of opportunities to share about what God is stirring in Columbus.

So that is prayer request number one. There will be opportunities every day this week. So pray that the right people respond to God's call to partner in prayer, partner financially and even come with us if that is God's leading.

Pray also for clarity and momentum for our church plant's Management Team. Pray that their buy in and ownership of the Columbus plant will be deep and that a bond of trust and support will begin to form.

Lastly, pray for our family. I am not sure what the long term sustainability of this 'rhythm' of life is. We need to see some progress in Chaia's feeding ASAP. Because if we could bump to every four hours instead of every three, or if we could begin to take milk orally, the demand of care will ease up, which means we can find more time for rest and more time to pursue each other in our marriage. These are both really important things.

We are excited for a fun week this week. Thanks for the prayers!

Updates and CBus Bound

Just a quick update: Chaia's appointments were fine. Her Echo has not worsened and there are 'potentially' some spots her heart that have more activity than before. The nurse practitioner's assessment of Chaia's heart? "It sucks." But, it doesn't suck more severely than it already sucked. With her sitting up and jibber jabbering and just being more active all around, this is a good thing.

The geneticist didn't have much to report by way of new updates. Germany is still working at decoding DNA and there may be some labs sent to Philadelphia for another piece to the research puzzle. The diagnosis seems to be concretely set on GACI still, so we have a month off from the Cleveland Clinic barring any setbacks.

That appointment in a month is the 6 month CT scan to see if the calcifications are reversing or not. It's kind've a big deal. So we will rally you prayer warriors as that time nears.

As for the weekend? The Thompson Trio will be checking out of the blogosphere until Monday morning. We are heading to Columbus. I am preaching at Pulse Christian Church Sunday morning and ask for prayers as I am jazzed about preaching and may try to cram 3 hours of what God is teaching me into one message. God help them.

This is also our first return to Columbus/Plain City since Chaia's episode began there back in September. It should be fine...but maybe a little weird.

Hopefully zoo pictures and next week's prayer requests to come on Monday.

Have a good weekend.

Appointment Palooza

Off to the Clinic today for echos,ekgs,blood draws and a meeting with the geneticist who diagnosed Chaia way back when. Hopefully there will be some new information regarding DNA tests that were done in Germany to confirm the GACI diagnosis.

It will be a whirlwind of a day. So prayers for patience and perspective are appreciated.

Somedays are very frustrating with all the unknowns and wondering where this story will unfold and having since day one, more questions than answers.

If we're not careful that frustration can steal the gift of today. And if and when it does, our opportunity to make much of Him is compromised.

More than anything else, this journey we are on reveals the ugly areas of my heart that are filled with selfishness, entitlement and bitterness.

The negative of this is that there are areas of distrust and sin that continue to darken my heart.

The positive is that God is inviting those areas to the light.



There are more hearts being miraculously worked on in this story than just Chaia's.

He makes our dead hearts beat again.

And that is good news.

Amped Up

It's where kids should be. I've said it since Chaia's first week in the PICU.

They don't belong in hospital beds, with their arms restrained, tubes down their throat and sedation keeping them 'comfortable'.

They shouldn't have doctors and nurses parading in and out of their room poking and prodding, sticking and stabbing.

That's not where kids belong.

Kids belong at the zoo. Not permanently mind you...although some might thrive there...But kids should go to the zoo. They should see penguins waddling and monkeys swinging and kangaroos bouncing.

So, this Saturday, while we're in Columbus, that's exactly what we're going to do. In 30 degree weather...with a kid who won't remember a moment of it...we're going to the zoo.

This has been a long time coming for the Thompson Trio.

And I can't wait.

Faith of a Child

So I've been thinking over the past few weeks about one of the things that has impacted us in ways that we never could have expected.

It's the way that Chaia's story has been grabbed ahold of by other children.

I wish I could recall with you all, each of the ways kids have rooted for, knelt for, and simply pulled for Chaia to be healed.

Obviously the countless hand crafted cards...including one from 'a fellow heart warrior' who had been in the exact ICU room as Chaia at the Clinic and caught wind of her story...lucky pennies from other heart warriors...kids giving up toys and stuffed animals that they wanted Chaia to have...stories of kids coming home day after day from school and asking how baby Chaia was that day...kids taking it upon themselves to take up a collection to help out Chaia (one little girl brought us her ziplock bag of six dollars and change that she had collected for Chaia)...kids praying...and I mean hundreds of kids praying...many of them daily...praying bold prayers...one family brought two of their daughters who knelt down beside Chaia and each grabbed a foot and they prayed for her...we've had kids ask for her hand in marriage...crack open champagne bubbly for her on New Year's Eve...prophetic pictures drawn of Chaia dancing in rain puddles...becoming a firefighter...even this week a kiddo is jumping rope for the american heart association in Chaia's honor.

I could seriously go on and on.

I believe with all my heart that a significant reason we have celebrated Chaia's 7th month with us is because there are so many kids pleading Chaia's case...because quite frankly they have the audacity to believe God for what they are asking Him.

I thought we could have some fun and get to know some of you families out there. If you and your kiddos are praying for Chaia...would you video it and either throw it at me on facebook or by email (thompson14b@gmail.com) and I will work on posting the videos for sometime next week, just to share how God is gathering His people. It doesn't need to be polished. Your kids can be any age...just want to put some faces to some of the families out there who are kneeling on our behalf.

Can't wait to meet you. (Get 'em to me by the end of the weekend!)

Here's one video I had posted months ago.

Five Ways To Pray

Lots going on this week. Please don't stop kneeling.

1. Pray for Shaina and I to have margin this week. Margin given by each other to have quiet time, run errands, rest, be alone...whatever it may be. When we have margin our family works better.

2. Pray for Chaia. Check up at CLE Clinic for an echo and an ekg, but also meeting with the geneticist and hopefully hearing word back from the DNA tests that were sent to Germany. This appointment is Thursday. Ask for God do cause doctors and nurses to kneel because of the Word He has done and is doing.

3. Pray for our house hunting trip this coming weekend. We are going to check out some rentals. This is so much more than just a nice spot with a nice set up. we are desperate for God to show us where our Mission Hub will be centered. Ask God to give us eyes to see what He sees.

4. Pray for me as I am preaching for the first time since June. I will be preaching at a church plant in Plain City known as Pulse Christian Church.

5. Pray for rest that is deep and productivity that is effective.

Pray like our lives depended on it...because they do.

Congratulations Are In Order

I don't like to admit it when I've been conquered.

But my ladies have defeated me and Shaina has won her right to a play of her choosing.

I think it was because they had more team spirit.

My Marital Happiness

depends on this guy:

The Thompson Date Bet has finally come to its last stand.

At the beginning of the NFL playoffs, Shaina and I went back and forth picking playoff teams. Whoever chose the team that won the Super Bowl would get their date night fulfilled.

I am at the mercy of the New England Patriots. If they win, Shaina will take me to dinner and a Cavs Game.

If they lose (and the Giants win)...I go to dinner and a play of Shaina's choosing.

So the tension in our household is thick.

Questions for you.

1. What's your prediction of the final score of the Super Bowl?
2. What is the number one food you're planning to eat during the game?
3. Who will be the Browns starting quarterback next year? A)Colt McCoy B)Robert Griffin III C)Matt Flynn D) Peyton Manning E)Other.

For me...Patriots 31- Gians 27.
I've got my meatballs in the works for the game!
And I think Colt McCoy is the starter next season.

Have a good Sunday!

Two Questions

What is Jesus speaking to your life today?
What are you going to do about it?

The one who is answering these questions daily is growing in faith.

Sometimes we need to stop listening for God through other leaders and listen for Him ourselves.

Being a disciple of Christ begins and ends with these two questions.

So? Be honest...What's He saying...and what are you doing about it?

For me?

I get the sense that God is telling me to stop pressing. I'm pressing for answers with Chaia, momentum with Columbus, deadlines, agendas.

And what I need to do about it is BE PRESENT. Present with my girls. Present with friends and church family. Present with God now as He shapes me.

Hurry Up and Wait

"So How's Chaia Doing?"

She's stable. Growing. But so much hinges on whether the calcifications in her body are being reversed.

When will we know that?

Not for another month and a half.

So we wait.

The biggest issue and demand of our time revolves around her feeding schedule. She eats every three hours (with one break added overnight.) This doesn't seem too demanding, but because the feed is over an hour and 15 minutes, it is very consuming.

Add to this, that Chaia has had some significant issues keeping her feeds down (sometimes puking as much as half or even all of her feed), and a light at the end of the tunnel seems far off.

We need her to tolerate her feeds, so that we can do more work with her regarding the bottle so that she can be rid of the NG Tube. But this is a marathon not a sprint.

So we wait.

We were supposed to relocate to Columbus in January to begin the church plant God is calling us to. With Chaia's journey unfolding the way it has, things have taken some unforeseen twists.

So we wait.

I then determined that February would make sense for moving. But this road is slow in unfolding.

So we wait.

I am done with timelines. All I know is we are called to steward Chaia back to God for as long as He sees fit and we are called to reach a generation of young professionals and college students in one of the largest campuses in the world.

His timing is not my timing.

It's not your timing either.

But He's before time.

He's beyond time.

He made time.

He stopped time.

And in His mercy and sovereignty, He is always Right. On. Time.

Abraham got the promise of a son then had to sweat it out for years until the promise was fulfilled.

Moses led the people out of Egypt only to spend 40 years in the wilderness until the promise was fulfilled.

Jeremiah tried to say the timing wasn't right because he was too young. But God called and said the time was now.

For some of us the Time is Now...God is pressing us to immediate obedience.

For others, it's hurry up and wait.

But in both instances, it is more of a TRUST ISSUE than a TIMING ISSUE.

The deep question that your heart must respond to is "Do you trust me?"

Do you trust me...even with this...with that...with Her?

Dealing with this question is of utmost importance and will determine who you will become.

As for beginning to answer his question?

There's no time like the present.

7 months

No babies were harmed in the shooting of this video.