Thoughts From the Bald Side

I have had this blog for quite awhile…so long that my domain name needs to be renewed. The problem…I have never taken the time to post. There never seemed like a good time. Finally…it seems like the right time.

4 weeks ago everything about our every-day life changed. A door sprang open so wide before us that we had to stop and immediately seek God’s face to determine if we should walk through it.

Four years ago we left Florida and moved back to my home area (Sioux City) to be near my parents. We always felt like we would move back to Florida…even planned on it…in 2012. Staring us in the face was the opportunity to go back…not in 2012 but NOW with the blessing of Sunnybrook leadership. Miracles had transpired to open the door.

We immediately began to pray and earnestly seek God’s face. What should we do?

After a few days vacation that we had planned over the 4th, I left for a missions trip to Haiti. Pam and I would pray while I was away and then we would decide when I got back.

God led me to Genesis for my devotions while in Haiti. I came to Gen. 12 and read verse 1, and stopped cold…
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.

I had my confirmation…as clear as a bell. Since then, we have been moving forward through the wide-open door that God opened.

Below is the email that Phil, the Sunnybrook administrator, sent to the congregation today…

Sunnybrook Members and Friends:
It is with very mixed feelings that we announce that the Todd family will be leaving Sunnybrook Community Church. Pastor Sam has accepted a pastoral position at a church near Orlando, Florida, and will be beginning his duties there early in September, 2010. This is the same church where Sam served prior to his moving to Sioux City, so it is a homecoming for him in many ways.

For the past 2 and a-half years, Sam’s presence has been felt in every aspect of the ministries of Sunnybrook. Whether it was preaching on Sunday mornings, participating in service design, working with the deacons, performing weddings and funerals, making coffee at 6:00 A.M. on Sunday mornings, greeting people, counseling, and being a resource and a friend to everyone on the staff of Sunnybrook, his enthusiasm and spiritual guidance will be missed. We appreciate and acknowledge his passion for people, his love of Christ, his outstanding serving nature, and his willingness to follow where God leads. We know the congregation in Florida will welcome him warmly and are certain that he will impact that community spiritually and personally.

Our prayers will go with Sam, Pam, Philip, and Sammy and while we are happy for this new ministry opportunity for the Todd family, we know that they will be missed by all of us in the Sunnybrook community. Thank you, Sam, for all of the contributions you’ve made and the lives that have been changed through your efforts and the love of Jesus Christ.

For now, I will use this blog to chronicle our journey of God’s leading.

Until next time…

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