So, here we are, a couple or three weeks after the General Assembly. I have not blogged in a bit, as it has been quite hectic around the Estep household. But, alas, friends, here I am blogging once again. I must get this done now so as to avoid any comments from the, er, peanut gallery. Last thing I need is for the two people who actually read this rambling mess to turn critic on me. That would just be a shame. I jest.
So, we were appointed at the General Assembly to be the new overseer of, well several places. Seven states, to be exact. Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin. That is a mouthful. I realized quickly (due to my great wisdom ;p) that it would just be too much to try and say that all every time we refer to the region. So, I felt the need to give this new region a name. SO I had one of our pastors help me do some research. Before the addition of the central states, I had considered the Ohio Valley Region as a possible name. But with the additional states that would not work. So Brother Shane researches it, and tells me that all of the states included have been considered a part of the American Heartland at one time or another, with the exception being Kentucky. "Then that settles it!" I exclaimed when he told me. "We'll call it the Bluegrass Region!!" Of course that was and is a joke. HA! We will from this point be known as "The Heartland Region". I think it is fitting, and will serve us well as an identity. Very soon, our regional website will reappear. I will let you all know when that is.
So, now I am working on Minister's Convention. It has felt a bit surreal to be planning a Ministers Convention. I have planned a bunch of camps, a couple of District Conventions, and a ton of local church stuff. But this feels different. I like the feeling, and am enjoying the new role, thus far, but it is definitely different. I keep thinking back to how, growing up in a pastor's home, I thought a lot of the pastoral things would sort of be second nature to me when I got into pastoring myself. WRONG. Ha! Seeing it done and doing it is NOT the same. Same with this Overseer job. Dad did it. I have worked closely with several very good overseers, and even been the pastor to two different ones, both of whom were great men of God who taught me a lot. Okay...NOT THE SAME! but it is ok. I feel God leading me and teaching me each day, and I am able to draw from all the things I have learned from all those men, and others. Plus, I have already found that the ministry of The Church of God are very generous, and helpful. I have already called on a number of men for advice, or to talk and found them very giving. They want things to go well for me, for our people, for The Church of God. Thank God for them.
Regarding our move...
We are currently packing and painting our old house. Certain rooms are in dire need of a good paint job, so this is as good a time as any, right? Well, probably not, but we are doing it anyway. :) We will keep some furniture here and use it to stay in when we are in for family visits and holidays. So, now it will be nice and freshly painted when we are in for Thanksgiving!
We plan to move in to the regional parsonage the first week of October, Lord willing. We will take some useful things down each week,and will be staying there on the weekends to cut down the Sunday travel time and give us some time for visiting on Saturdays.
The Uhaul Piggy Bank
So, about seven years ago, when I had been moved to Raceland, KY from Elizabethtown, KY, I got to feeling sort of sorry for myself. Being a preachers kid, I have moved a LOT in my life. Pretty much on average about every two years since I was twelve. That is too much, folks. So, when I was in the Uhaul shop, I saw this little cardboard uhaul truck, it was a piggy bank, actually. I bought it and kept it in my office for a long time. I would often tell people "I plan on that being the last uhaul I ever need!" Always got a good laugh out of that.
So, here I am two uhauls later. Haha...never works out like we think it will, eh? I am thankful that God has given my family over four years at this one address, here on the old family farm. We are excited about the move to E'town, as it will put us closer to the work that we love. But it is a bit hard to pick up and move again. But, here goes!
Well, that is the update for now...got stuff to do!
5 comments:
Brother Donnie we Love you guys very much!! And, are praying for you and your family during this move!! You all are a true blessing of God and enjoy the times we have had with you and will continue to have!! May God truely bless you even more each and everyday!! Love ya all!!
Since you already have one comment, I must be the second of the "two readers" who peruse your blog. --I just stopped by to see if there was a new Saturday Evening Post and you didn't disappoint. Thanks!
As for the size of your region (I like the Heartland name, BTW), I know it's very large, but it's still not as large as some of our other overseers, both inside and outside the USA. And it's nearly 300 square miles less than the 6 western states we oversaw for 3 years. Too much for one man? Alone, yes. With God? No problem! "God always pays for what He orders."
God bless you guys and give you strength and grace as you make ANOTHER move. I HATE moving but I, too, was a pastor's kid before becoming a pastor's wife. I've moved a few times myself. I'm just looking forward to that LAST move--the one where we don't have to pack anything up, or clean behind the stove and fridge when we leave! :-)
Hey! I just now saw that this post was put up on September 9th! That was TEN days ago! How did I miss it? Weird. So, you did NOT have a new Saturday Evening Post. Shame, shame, shame.
Davona...thanks. You folks are a blessing too and we look forward to a lot more great times together.
Sister Smith...Believe it or not, this was a new post! lol. I think it did that because I started writing it a week or so ago, and saved it in drafts, working on it a little at a time. I believe it gave the post the date of the day I started writing it. I noticed it, too, and thought WHAT? HAha. As for the size of the region, we are embracing it. Normally the only times I mention it are when it is brought up. A lot of our people are wondering how we will get the work done, and a few times early on I wondered to. But we are not alone. I can be to any of our churches in a day or less. Most of them 5 or 6 hours. There is a lot to do, but it isn't a problem. We are very excited, honestly about the Heartland Region. By the time this year is over it may be called the REVIVAL region! I believe God is sending REVIVAL for us RIOHT NOW!!!
5 or 6 hours?!?!? Where we's brung up, that ain't NUTHIN'! (I learned to speak southern from my in-laws) ;-) Brother Pimentel drive 830 miles from his home in Nampa, ID to L.A.. San Diego is even further. When James and Becki lived in Andrews, TX, they had to drive 800 miles to their furthest church in Craig, CO. It was 800 miles. I've come to realize that 5 or 6 hours of driving is a HUGE DEAL back in this part of the country, but when you put it in perspective it's not impossible to accomplish. You know what they say, when you think you've got it bad, you can always look around and find somebody that's got it worse. :-)
I'm excited that you're excited! And I hope you can be known as the REVIVAL Region! To God be the glory!
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