A New Season of Ministry

Well, it been a while since our last blog (actually almost 3 years). For those who don't know, we have been living in Columbus, Mississippi serving at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. We were called there in February of 2010 as their student pastor. We have primarily served in that role until April of this year when the church voted for us to serve a dual role as minister of education and students. It has been quite an experience to say the least!!!! We have seen the Lord do some tremendous things in the lives of some of our students. It is such an incredible thing when you see the light bulb go on in the lives of students and also some adults!! We know the Lord has completely train wrecked some people's lives and it is awesome, because they will be changed forever, AMEN!!!!

Now, we are in a new season. Back in early June I knew it would be a time coming soon when we would be moved. Well in August our pastor called me in his office and sat me down. At first I was like OK what did I do wrong, that's when he said he was going to be a father to me for a few minutes. That's when he told me to consider going to seminary and finish my Masters of Divinity degree. Up to this point in my ministry I wasn't really interested in finishing my degree. I had taken some classes from New Orleans and just got turned off and wasn't interested any more in finishing. So when my pastor sat me down there was something that happened, the Lord gave me complete peace about going back and finishing my degree.

After we finished our discussion (which lasted about 3 hours) I called my dad and asked his opinion about it. The next morning at 7:15am he called me and said he had done a lot of praying about it and he felt it was very important that I go back and finish. This blew me away, because it was completely out of my dad's nature!! So, Kate and I started praying about seminary at this point, we even set times to go visit some seminaries. We traveled to Memphis and soon found out that it was not the place we were supposed to be. Two weeks later we traveled to Fort Worth, Texas. As soon as we entered into the campus it was like the Lord said to our spirits this is it! It was just an incredible feeling we had, now it was a matter of timing. I applied to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was soon accepted. In October we knew it would be soon, so we started preparing our transition. On October 10, 2011, my family's world was completely turned up side down when my father died from an injury he sustained in an accident that happened at his work place. Well, this was very pivotal for us, in the last conversation that I had with my father he encouraged me to go on to school and finish and be the best pastor he knew I could be. So, in our minds and hearts we knew we were headed in the right direction!! So we set things in motion even more quickly. We had applied for a position with an apartment ministry and were accepted to serve in the Fort Worth area (still waiting on placement), we have had doors open for scholarships unlike any other time in my life!!! We have been showered with the Lord's blessings and it is so awesome to watch him work!!!

Now, it is one week before we move and the excitement and nerves are going crazy!! We have a place to live on campus (much smaller than anything we have ever lived in at least with 2 kids anyway) and all my classes are set. The truck is rented and we are ready!!!

But we are in need of your prayers: As of today, we don't know about a daycare for Elise, school for Brady, but more importantly the Lord hasn't opened a door for employment yet. This is no worry though, as He has made it abundantly clear that we are headed in the right direction. So we know it is just a matter of time before the doors that need to be opened will open. We covet your prayers on these matters, particularly the matter of a job because of our financial responsibilities!!! If you would join in praying for these matters, I ask that you please let us know that you are praying so we can keep everyone up to date as the Lord proves Himself in opening these doors!

God Bless everyone and Happy New year!!

Love Brook, Kate, Brady and Elise

Our Journey

Back in August 2007, Kate and I surrendered to the call the Lord placed on our hearts to do full time ministry. We started praying for the Lords leadership and guidance to place us wherever it was He wanted us to go. In October of 2007, the Lord called us to serve at Cross Roads Baptist Church in Pelahatchie, MS. What a mission field the Lord placed us in. There are people who go over seas to do mission work but we have one of the biggest mission fields in the world right here in our own back yard, WOW! We started at the church on November 15th of that year and embarked on an incredible journey with people and students who just needed loving on. The first 3 or 4 months was tuff, with the students getting to know and trust us, it almost felt as if we were spinning our wheels and not getting any where. Then out of know where the Lord had actually been doing so much and we didn't realize it at the time until we started seeing students become very dedicated to loving the Lord, not the programs that we have become acustomed to in church, but a real relationship with the Lord. How awesome it was to be apart of what God was doing in these students but also what He was doing in our lives!
To see students want to go and do is awesome. To see them want to know more about the Lord and His word, was one of the most fulfilling things I've ever gone through. We saw students who didn't go to church and students who played church start getting involved in the ministries there, as well as in their school, how awesome is that? Wednesday nights got to be challenging because of the questions these student where asking (I haven't heard adults ask some of the questions they were asking), but that is exactly what I love!
Now for a year and three months we devoted everything we had and every part of who we are to those students and the church. On January 7, 2009 we resigned our position at the church. We have been called by the Lord to follow Him and do His work. We don't get caught up in the whole power thing that goes on in churches today (unfortunately), we serve the Lord and answer to Him. We love to walk with Lord, He has taught us many valuable lessions and has put us on our faces many times, but He is always there to pick us up. So today as I write this we are in the process of praying and seeking for the next place the Lord would have us serve. We are truly excited because we have had to totally rely on the Lord for His support.
Thanks to everyone for your prayers and words of encouragement, you will never know and words can't describe what they have meant to us. Today February 12th at 6:30 pm we have a phone interview for a church seeking a youth pastor, praise God for any oppportunity in this economy! So be in prayer with us as we seek out God's will for our lives. More to come soon