Ready to Go!

Well, I'm back in Durango! The time has come to actually do what we came here to do. My first good news is that I got a part time job driving tourists through the mountains in a Hummer. I can't think of a better way to earn money than off-roading in someone else's $100k vehicle! I'm looking forward to learning all the trails around here and getting to know the guys I work with.

Last night CTK Durango met at our house-it was the Daniels, us, and my parents who were visiting (considering a move to Durango). It was the first time I tried to include a teaching and worship element into our meeting (we've been having dinner together and just hanging out so far). It was good. I think we are all feeling a sort of "worship vaccuum" even though we've been visiting churches in the mornings. I enjoyed the time to reflect on God's Word and share with each other.

Back from Mexico

I just got back from Mexico. It was a great trip! We finished the house we set out to build and the kids did great. My favorite part of the trip was when I was able to have the students commission Silver (Joe and Heidi's daughter who has been one of my high school students) to our mission in Durango. It was a precious moment to have kids pray for their friend who was moving away to be part of this church. I can't help but wonder what this is all going to look like to Silver and her brothers (and my kids, for that matter) years from now. Church, to them, will be something very different than what I grew up with. I'm so excited to have these young people with us to see what they eventually do with what we are only beginning to build now.
On Wednesday, Silver and I fly out to Durango. I really miss Jenn and the kids who I will not have seen for two weeks and I know Silver is looking forward to seeing her family who she hasn't seen for almost six weeks.

I'll be right back!

On Tuesday (the 27th) I fly back to Salinas to finish out my last two weeks at SVCC. One of the weeks is actually the Mission to Mexico trip with the high school students. I'm really looking forward to the trip. Mexico has been the highlight of my year for the past seven years in Salinas. I love watching the students bond and support each other and experience God in ways they never do at home.

I have to confess that I am experiencing a big range of emotion on going back. I am looking forward to the time with the kids, but I am feeling a great deal of anxiety and stress at the same time. I'm not exactly sure where it's coming from, but it's beginning to have an effect on me. My desire is to push past the anxiety and enjoy the time I have to bring closure to my time at SVCC. My prayer is that I am able to rest into a godly attitude that enables me to do that.

I've been working on our proposals on timing for starting CTK Durango and it is pretty fun. I honestly have no idea what this is all going to look like. Writing down a plan is like making a wish list for Santa Claus--I'm putting down all things I would love to see happen without the benefit of experience to tell me what will likely happen. Is this going to work? Are people going to want to be part of this community? Am I up to the task of leading in this endeavor? WE SHALL SEE!!! I guess I'll have to put that all aside for a couple weeks, but I'm anxious to hit it hard when I get back!

We're Here!

We made it! When all was said and done (and repaired or duct taped) we pulled into Durango on Wednesday the 14th about five minutes before we signed papers on our new house. It was a gruelling trip, but quite an adventure to say the least. The last few days have been spent moving our stuff from a storage unit into the house and trying to create a new life equilibrium for our poor kids. It's hard to believe that we're here to stay. The thing that has made it feel like a homecoming has been reuniting with Joe and Heidi who have been here for two weeks now. We all sit around the table and smile--there just aren't words to describe our excitement in following God's call so many months ago and seeing it all come down to this. We are exhausted, but anxious to start putting down roots in this incredible town!


By the way, St. George is actually a Mormon saint who definitely had nothing to do with our pilgrimage across the country. The Jeep, as it turns out, only had a cracked rotor in the distributor which was fixed easily and we were on our way (for those of you who are non-mechanical, imagine going to the doctor because you think you broke your arm and he tells you it's only a hangnail--good news!).

Who's St. George?

Right now I'm really hoping St. George is the patron saint of fixing Jeeps on the cheap! I'm sitting in a hotel room in St. George, Utah about 600 miles from Salinas and 450 miles from Durango. A couple hours ago, I was driving along in my Jeep with Jenn and the kids following in the Suburban when I heard a loud explosion and Jenn said fire blew out the exhaust pipe. I got it off to the side of the road before it died and was able to get a tow to St. George of all places. I'll find out what the damage is in the morning, but I'm assuming it will take more than a minor adjustment to get us back on the road. We'll see what happens, but I have to say I'm feeling a little stress over this!

Prepare for Lift-off

Papers have been signed, carpets are being cleaned and bags are being packed...we're almost out of here! On Sunday, I pack up my family into the Jeep and the Suburban and we head to Colorado after church. We're taking it slow (three days) to save the vehicles and go easy on the kids, so we will arrive in Durango on the 13th if all things go as planned. I am excited about the trip, but sad to leave. My greatest struggle right now is that I am so overwhelmed with the details I end up feeling emotionally exhausted when the time comes to say goodbye. I am really hoping that people are able to hear and see how much we will miss them. It feels so inadequate to just hug and say goodbye--I wish there was some new word or gesture I could use that would really communicate my love for my students and the people in this church. It feels dry and awkward.

This reminds me of when I was sitting next to my four year old son as we pulled into Disneyland for the first time. He was trying to think of the words to describe how excited he was and he turned to me and said, "this breaks my heart". I know what you mean, buddy!

The Beginning of the End

We had a whirlwind of a weekend! Sunday was my last time preaching and Jenn and a few people from the team were able to lead worship. It was really fun--I enjoyed teaching and I felt like I was able to honor the people of this church who have been so gracious to us in the past seven years. After church they threw us a "going away" party and I was surprised at how many people turned out to hug us and tell us how much they would miss our team. It was a good time--I think we all felt loved.

The next couple weeks are all about closure. I don't know if I'm going to be able to fit in all the last minute meetings with different people, but I'm working on it.

Coming up for air.

The pace is beginning to pick up as we come into the home stretch in our transition to Durango. We are working on the final details of selling/buying and moving. The Daniels leave on June first and Jenn and the kids and I drive out on the 11th. We are still waiting for Peggy's house to sell as well as the Daniels' properties.

This weekend (May 28th) is my last chance to preach at SVCC as well as the last opportunity for our worship-leading team members (Heidi, Daena, Jenn, and Steve) to lead worship. Last week I found out that the church is going to have a special offering for our team and throw us a party after church this weekend. I am grateful for the gesture--especially in light of our process with church leadership over the past several months. For me, it is an indication that we have, indeed, handled ourselves wisely in this transition--to the point where the SVCC leadership feels they can support us in this way.

I can see that, while our team is excited about the transition, we are also beginning to feel the stress of the move. I am really praying that God's peace prevails while marriages, parenting, finances, and relationships are being stretched to their max. I am also praying that I am able to be wise and insightful in the way I lead this team through this time. I'm not entirely sure what I have to offer them, but I sincerely want to serve them and honor the incredible risks and sacrifices each of them is making in pursuing this call.

We are still praying for the funding to show up and for the provision of jobs when we arrive. The next time I post here, I will probably be living in an empty house out of a suitcase in Salinas hoping all our stuff made it into storage in Durango safely! Thank you to everyone who has been following our journey here and supporting us in prayer!

The Johnson's Have A House!

It's true! Jennifer was successful in her mission of picking and buying our new home in Durango in three days over this past weekend. She managed to find a house that she really likes, fits our needs, has a large enough man cave (garage) for me AND fits in our price range. Perhaps one of the best features of this home is it's location in a great development surrounded by neighbors who we can get to know and may potentially be impacted by CTK. Peggy also put an offer on a home contingent on her Salinas house selling.

So, we have the Daniels moving on June 1st, I will be moving Jenn and the kids on the 14th of June and I will rejoin them on July 13th followed shortly by Steve the first week of August (Peggy will move as soon as her house sells--please pray that that happens soon!). We are all anxious to get there and begin construction of our new faith community. I feel a little like we are all jumping from a plane. We're jumping at different times, but all going to the same place--and I won't feel right until we are all safely on the ground!

We are still watching the support come in. So far we have an amazing group of people supporting us prayerfully and financially. Right now we stand at about 25% of what it would take to support us for the first year, so we could use prayer for more support and for quick hiring at new jobs in Durango for Steve and I.

House-buying Mission

Jennifer and Peggy left today in the wee hours of the morning for Durango to take a whirlwind tour of all the (six) houses in our price range, intent on making an offer on one of them by Monday! This is, of course, exciting and mildly terrifying. I am really praying that Jenn is able to make a choice with confidence that she is informed and wise and Spirit-led. I'm looking forward to this experience for Jennifer--naturally, I want her to find the right home, but I also want this to be an opportunity for her to grow in trusting her intuition and experience God's blessing in a personal way. I can't wait to see what I am able to post here Monday!