Comments on: ★ God’s Voice on My First Day in Recovery http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery Pat Loughery's blog at the intersection of Christianity, culture and technology Tue, 22 May 2012 16:14:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: victorious http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-372 victorious Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:08:50 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-372 Wow, Pat so sorry to hear but will pray for you. Something similar had happened to my family and I almost a year and half ago. Praise God the church that was birthed and nurtured is continuing with all the same people; except our family. We were shunned, especially my wife and I. In other words we have very strong and mutually opposed feelings in our battle to persevere and move forward. Gary's description about his friend was so similar to ours that I had to double check and make sure that I did not know him. As we were in another country on a missionary visa we had to uproot our family and move cross country (two of my kids being in high school). The church continues but markets itself as a church plant that began the day we were excommunicated and acts as if we never existed. We imparted the gospel and our very lives to these people including the shrewd leader; the young man I mentored. He is shrewd. I am not. However, for the future I have learned another area where I do need to be wise. There is a throne of grace for us today and tomorrow. If we recognize our need then we will recognize His grace. Sorry about this season of life but wanted to let you know that He will lead you and uphold you and never hold back His joy even though He lets the sorrow remain. Your desires to see communities of Christ birthed and nurtured is God given; I still have them stronger then ever but know I am in a season providing for my family in other ways. One of the blessings of having been bivocational for many years is the possession of skills. ;) Wow, Pat so sorry to hear but will pray for you.

Something similar had happened to my family and I almost a year and half ago. Praise God the church that was birthed and nurtured is continuing with all the same people; except our family. We were shunned, especially my wife and I. In other words we have very strong and mutually opposed feelings in our battle to persevere and move forward.

Gary's description about his friend was so similar to ours that I had to double check and make sure that I did not know him. As we were in another country on a missionary visa we had to uproot our family and move cross country (two of my kids being in high school).

The church continues but markets itself as a church plant that began the day we were excommunicated and acts as if we never existed. We imparted the gospel and our very lives to these people including the shrewd leader; the young man I mentored. He is shrewd. I am not. However, for the future I have learned another area where I do need to be wise.

There is a throne of grace for us today and tomorrow. If we recognize our need then we will recognize His grace.

Sorry about this season of life but wanted to let you know that He will lead you and uphold you and never hold back His joy even though He lets the sorrow remain.

Your desires to see communities of Christ birthed and nurtured is God given; I still have them stronger then ever but know I am in a season providing for my family in other ways.

One of the blessings of having been bivocational for many years is the possession of skills. ;)

]]> By: In the Coracle » » Things They Tell Church Planters That Are Simply Wrong » Pat Loughery’s thoughts on life, faith, sports, motorcycles, photography, music and other details http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-371 In the Coracle » » Things They Tell Church Planters That Are Simply Wrong » Pat Loughery’s thoughts on life, faith, sports, motorcycles, photography, music and other details Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:07:32 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-371 [...] of the church that my family planted and that a year ago closed its doors (for the second but final [...] [...] of the church that my family planted and that a year ago closed its doors (for the second but final [...]

]]> By: Working the Angles » Blog Archive » 2007, Looking Back; 2008, Looking Forward http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-366 Working the Angles » Blog Archive » 2007, Looking Back; 2008, Looking Forward Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:39:41 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-366 [...] January, our church plant was closed. I guess I never wrote on this blog about what happened and why. In summary and in hindsight, we [...] [...] January, our church plant was closed. I guess I never wrote on this blog about what happened and why. In summary and in hindsight, we [...]

]]> By: e cho http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-370 e cho Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:48:11 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-370 pat, somehow stumbled onto your website and read this post. i'm saddened at the closing but believe with my whole heart that the lessons learned and life experienced will serve you well in the days ahead. peace to you. eugene pat,
somehow stumbled onto your website and read this post. i'm saddened at the closing but believe with my whole heart that the lessons learned and life experienced will serve you well in the days ahead.

peace to you. eugene

]]> By: Gary Means http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-369 Gary Means Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:09:59 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-369 Pat, A little over a year ago I watched as my close friend and pastor was pressured out of his position by a small group of ruthless men and women who usurped his authority and undermined his leadership in devious and unethical ways. This was in the fifth year of his church plant and he was too physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted to hold on. I have watched, listened, and prayed in the past months as we grieved together. His life is stabilizing now, but it is not clear if he will return to full-time professional ministry. A prayer for you: Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I ask that You would give Pat a strong sense of Your loving hand in this time of grief. I ask that You would encourage him, and provide the internal and external resources he needs to heal. I don't know the circumstances he has been through, but You do, Lord. So I commit him and those he loves, to Your mercy, grace, and love. Please provide for his materials needs. Please give him a clear sense that Your view of him has not altered one iota. I ask that You would bring those along side him who can provide the tangible expression of Your love in this difficult time of adjustment. AMEN Pat,
A little over a year ago I watched as my close friend and pastor was pressured out of his position by a small group of ruthless men and women who usurped his authority and undermined his leadership in devious and unethical ways. This was in the fifth year of his church plant and he was too physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted to hold on. I have watched, listened, and prayed in the past months as we grieved together. His life is stabilizing now, but it is not clear if he will return to full-time professional ministry.

A prayer for you:

Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I ask that You would give Pat a strong sense of Your loving hand in this time of grief. I ask that You would encourage him, and provide the internal and external resources he needs to heal. I don't know the circumstances he has been through, but You do, Lord. So I commit him and those he loves, to Your mercy, grace, and love. Please provide for his materials needs. Please give him a clear sense that Your view of him has not altered one iota. I ask that You would bring those along side him who can provide the tangible expression of Your love in this difficult time of adjustment. AMEN

]]> By: jose http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-368 jose Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:52:00 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-368 I grieve with you, Pat, and look forward to see what God will do. "You give my hands a greater task... You set my eyes upon the far horizon." Excellent. I grieve with you, Pat, and look forward to see what God will do. "You give my hands a greater task… You set my eyes upon the far horizon." Excellent.

]]> By: erickeck http://www.patloughery.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-367 erickeck Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:38:21 +0000 http://patlo.wordpress.com/2007/01/22/gods-voice-on-my-first-day-in-recovery/#comment-367 pat if you get a chance send me your phone number... i bounced my other cell off the highway and lost your number... i would love to chat with ya and pick your brain eric [@] vccvt [dot ] org pat if you get a chance send me your phone number… i bounced my other cell off the highway and lost your number…

i would love to chat with ya and pick your brain

eric [@] vccvt [dot ] org

]]>