The HandOff

What an amazing Spirit-filled weekend it was!

The ZOE Conference has come to a close and I am back home in California at my desk that I love, in the church that I love, working with the people I love.

It is so good to be together for that time. The relationships God has blessed us with through his work are priceless...

I had to take Ashley to the folks who were also from Abilene...she had flown in with them and would return to ACU with them. They are a sweet, wonderful family by the name of the Maxwells. Jack and Jill are the artists for the ZOE group. Some of you have had the pleasure of seeing one of their creations come alive during a message time with Mike Cope. It really is a gift...

Their son, Matt, is a Mac-graphic-creative -film GENIUS. His creativity, coupled with his Godly character is an unstoppable force in our fellowship. We are so blessed to have such young creative thinking.

The Maxwells have taken Ashley in as their own. Jill is the one who has told her (and I) that if she is ever sick, call her. She'll drop everything to come get her and take her to a Dr or just to their home so she can get well. (Do you know what a relief that is to this mother as I am 1400 miles away from my baby girl?)

So, Sunday morning, on my way to church in Nashville, I took Ash to the Maxwells so they could return "home".

In the old days, when I was still the one "in charge" of Ashley's care, I would have walked in and been the first communication between Ashley and the Maxwell's. But now, I watched as I was the "side" one and my daughter and this precious family took up their relationship where it had left off in Abilene.

Matt quickly got up and took Ashley's suitcase to the car. They all exchanged conversation and just waited for me to tell her good-bye.

They took care of her meals, her comfort, her care.

I hugged her quickly, and she physically turned my body around and gave me a sweet, but determined little push out the door.

My little girl has come into her own life...Gracefully, beautifully, and in a Godly fashion.

Am I sad? No. Did I cry...of course.

So, as I mentioned at the top of this post, what a tremendous blessing it is to have relationship with each other through the covenant and blood of Jesus Christ.

Each one of you reading this, I'm guessing, can think of people that you know because of your commitment to the work of the Kingdom.

I hope this week, at some point, you will take the time to thank God for those people, and maybe even go so far as to tell them personally what they mean to you as we travel this road together.

Blessings!