Gracious Church

Yesterday our Session voted to grant me the month of August as paid leave in addition to my vacation, should I desire to take it. This gracious act, initiated by the elders and not by me, is indicative of the love and care that we receive from our congregation.  It is also indicative of the relationship that I have with my fellow elders.  These brothers did not force me to take this leave.  Our elders know and appreciate that the difficulties that our family faces are not outside the will of God for our whole church.  They desire to give me the freedom to follow the Spirit's leading.  I will take this leave, but I suspect I will remain in frequent contact with the church.  How could I not?  The church is not my "job" but our spiritual family, our family's support, our friends.  To cut myself off from the church while in Mexico would not only seem odd but would indeed be foolish.  "Your wife is in a coma.  Now is the time to take a break from communion with the saints."  I don't think so; I have taught against that type of non-sense.  So, I'll be on leave, but I'll be in touch too.  I also look forward to renewing our friendship with Andres Garza, MTW's director of Northern Mexico.  Andres preached at our mission conference a couple of years ago and was a great encouragement to the church and to me personally.  Not surprisingly, he has reached out to us since learning that we are heading to Monterrey.