Been a tough 30 days
The past 30 days have been a tough so far for me. My Biker Preacher friend died, my daughter is getting divorced after 16 years. I married her and her husband. I have done 5 funerals the past 30 days and 2 have been suicide victims. My ex-wife's cancer has came back for the third time, she is currently hospitalized and the prognosis is not good. It is in her stomach and liver this time. Due to this being the third time and it re-occurring so rapidly this time( a yr. ago last July, they gave her 2 months to live), they tried a new chemo drug and she had a terrible reaction to it. She has 28 canker sores in her mouth, her lips lost the outer skin covering and it looks like they turned wrong side out. She can not eat or even sip water through a straw.
The church building and property that I had been hoping for, was just to much for me to afford. It is move in ready but, the owners want $210,000.00 for it and I am too old to take on something like that amount, even if I could get someone to finance it.
There are a few vacant church bldgs. in my area but, the owners will not sell them or even lease them. One was once beautiful and now, a holding company has bought it, shut all the power off to it. It has 3 inches of water in the basement due to the sump pumps not being able to run and it has black mold now from the floor to the ceiling in the basement. I checked in to mold abatement and what it would cost to renovate this bldg and the cost is near $75.000.00, plus the purchase price of $28,000.00 One church building, is 2 blocks from my house. It was once a beautiful church, it is now being used as a storage bldg. The roof is showing wear and if the owner doesn't fix it, it will start leaking, if its not already and, this beautiful bldg. will be beyond repair as well, in a short time. I have talked to this owner on 3 occasions, went to his home, told him what I could and would do with the bldg. if he would sell it to me and I even wrote him a letter a few weeks agp. I heard nothing from him.
We have 2 or 3 churches here in town, who have nice bldgs. but, only have 8 to 10 members attending. They are major denominations and they will not sell to me either. One church is in the red, not making budget yet, they will not sell either.
It seems so frustrating to me. I will be 67 next week and, I do not know how many years I have left that I can actively preach so, I want to get something going now, that we can call our own. Renting a facility week to week is ok but, the current bldg. we are using, is basically a civic center so, we are at the mercy of others who use this facility and, we would like something that we can call our own and get busy building the membership and reaching others for Christ.
On top of all of this, I am in the process of getting off the antidepressants that I had to go on, when my son was killed in 2005. The withdrawal effects are terrible to deal with. Bad dreams, stomach pain, dizziness, jitteriness, weeping over little things, nervousness, and insomnia. I am ending my second week of being off of these. Sometimes, I just get tired and so frustrated, trying to get something going and have every door shut. I have a congregation of over 30 who regularly attend and if everyone would be there every Sunday, we would have 50 or more.
I will continue to do my best and Lord willing, a door will open shortly.
The church building and property that I had been hoping for, was just to much for me to afford. It is move in ready but, the owners want $210,000.00 for it and I am too old to take on something like that amount, even if I could get someone to finance it.
There are a few vacant church bldgs. in my area but, the owners will not sell them or even lease them. One was once beautiful and now, a holding company has bought it, shut all the power off to it. It has 3 inches of water in the basement due to the sump pumps not being able to run and it has black mold now from the floor to the ceiling in the basement. I checked in to mold abatement and what it would cost to renovate this bldg and the cost is near $75.000.00, plus the purchase price of $28,000.00 One church building, is 2 blocks from my house. It was once a beautiful church, it is now being used as a storage bldg. The roof is showing wear and if the owner doesn't fix it, it will start leaking, if its not already and, this beautiful bldg. will be beyond repair as well, in a short time. I have talked to this owner on 3 occasions, went to his home, told him what I could and would do with the bldg. if he would sell it to me and I even wrote him a letter a few weeks agp. I heard nothing from him.
We have 2 or 3 churches here in town, who have nice bldgs. but, only have 8 to 10 members attending. They are major denominations and they will not sell to me either. One church is in the red, not making budget yet, they will not sell either.
It seems so frustrating to me. I will be 67 next week and, I do not know how many years I have left that I can actively preach so, I want to get something going now, that we can call our own. Renting a facility week to week is ok but, the current bldg. we are using, is basically a civic center so, we are at the mercy of others who use this facility and, we would like something that we can call our own and get busy building the membership and reaching others for Christ.
On top of all of this, I am in the process of getting off the antidepressants that I had to go on, when my son was killed in 2005. The withdrawal effects are terrible to deal with. Bad dreams, stomach pain, dizziness, jitteriness, weeping over little things, nervousness, and insomnia. I am ending my second week of being off of these. Sometimes, I just get tired and so frustrated, trying to get something going and have every door shut. I have a congregation of over 30 who regularly attend and if everyone would be there every Sunday, we would have 50 or more.
I will continue to do my best and Lord willing, a door will open shortly.
Replies
I am sorry to hear when it rains it pours. You just want to rent a church but its hard because they are denominated? I hope something will come along im sure if you have a strong calling like this it will. I have learned that our lifes path is out of our hands but that doesnt mean we have to give up trying.If its meant to be it will. I hope things get better for you so you can be strong enough to guide and help others. God Bless.
YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT THIS YEAR PEEWEE. MAYBE FOR NOW YOU JUST NEED TO STAND STILL BEFORE HIM AND LET THE LORD MINISTER TO YOU. I\'M NOT SAYING STOP BEING A PREACHER , PLEASE UNDERSTAND, GOD HAS A PERFECT PLAN FOR YOU AND THE CHURCH. WAITING IS NOT EASY FOR ANYBODY BUT GOD\'S TIMING IS EVERYTHING. HE WILL MAKE A WAY, HE IS FAITHFUL, AND HE IS A JEALOUS GOD WHO FIRST WANTS YOUR TIME TO BE SPENT WITH HIM. I DON\'T KNOW WHY I JUST SAID THIS TO YOU, WHO AM I TO SAY THIS TO YOU, REALLY PEEWEE... IT JUST CAME OUT THIS WAY AND I\'M NOT SURE IF GOD IS SAYING SOMETHING TO YOU OR WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM. PLEASE UNDERSTAND, AND FORGIVE ME IF I AM WRONG TO SEND THIS ON TO YOU ! LOVE, CONNIE
You need not apologize Connie. I am a kind of \"take charge\" type person, I like to move forward, never backward. I always feel like if you are standing still, you are going nowhere.
I know God has a plan and His plan may completely differ from mine. It sure wouldn\'t be the first time.
I just don\'t feel comfortable using other people\'s buildings, facilities, etc. I would like to have something that we could call our own and to plan a future there. Thanks for you imput . I do appreciate it.
I FORGOT, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PEEWEE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! ONE WEEK EARLY AND IF I DON\'T FORGET I CAN SING IT AGAIN NEXT WEEK LOL.... AND YOU WILL HAVE AS MANY YEARS AS GOD HAS WRITTEN DOWN FOR YOU !!!!!! MUCH LOVE, CONNIE