Here We Go!

Well the word is out. The Boyers are headed to Abilene, TX for the Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy program. This is undoubtedly a big move for us and our family.

I came to Houston for the first time in the summer of 1998 for a youth ministry internship with Spring Woodlands Church of Christ. I went back to school my senior year knowing that I was different, but unaware of what God had in store for me. Fast forward to early spring of '99. and I received a phone call from Dave Gibbs and Travis Bryant asking if I would consider coming on full time. I fairly quickly said no, and then they called me back just a few weeks later and asked me to reconsider. I spent some time fasting and praying and God sent me to 1 Samuel. If you know the story of Eli and Samuel, you can imagine the story unfolding. God calls out to Samuel in his sleep, but Samuel did not yet know the voice of the Lord. After the third time of waking up Eli, Samuel was told by him to answer the call, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." I knew I needed to listen, and felt God tell me to answer his call to ministry. I began full time in the summer of '99.

Megan and I met in the fall, but she was dating someone at the time. We developed a friendship and after I ran off the other guy (really he ran himself off), we began dating a few months later. We married April 7th, 2001, and began a whirlwind life of ministry together. After a few more years of youth ministry, I transitioned out to another ministry position the summer of 2006. Claire was born about 9 months later and Eliam 21 month after that. It's hard to believe that they are now 9 years and 7 years old respectively.

Megan and I have dreamed many dreams over the years of where God might take us next. And a few times we considered chasing those dreams. But each time before we could take a move, God seemed to say wait. So we have waited, and we have been blessed. We have developed such sweet and deep friendships because we stayed. We have people in our lives that will forever be as close as family. We are deeply honored by our friendships and we wouldn't trade them for anything. But now the time has come, it is time that we must go.

A year and a half ago, I again felt the Lord calling saying that I needed to apply for the Marriage and Family Therapy program at ACU. On the one hand, Megan and I have done Marriage Mentoring for 8 plus years now using Prepare/Enrich, and we love doing this together. It has been great for our marriage and hopefully it has helped a few out along the way too. On the other hand, I started a Masters in Christian Ministry in 2012, the last thing I wanted to think about was another couple of years in school. We also had been dreaming about starting a ministry in Colorado, and we have been working on that for quite some time. All of our plans didn't come together as we hoped they would and then the summer hit. We were restless. Then thing got a little out of sorts at Grace Crossing (formerly Spring Woodlands where we still serve), and we didn't really feel comfortable leaving last summer to pursue the degree. So we stayed. God continued to bless us and grow us.

We are so thankful for our Grace Crossing family. They have been a huge blessing over the years. We are who we are because of the many lives that have influenced us and supported us. But now after 17 years, it's time for a change. God is taking us to Abilene where I can finish up one degree and begin the next. We don't have jobs yet, we don't have a home, but we know we are in God's hands. To complicate things just a bit, we'll be helping with some backpacking trips this summer in Colorado. So we'll be off grid, in and out of availability throughout the summer as we help some adults reconnect with God.

Life is an adventure. When you are chasing after God, you never know exactly where he will take you. Isn't that just His nature? When you think you're in control and have it all figured out, He reminds you that it is all in His hands, in his timing.

I ran across a quote this weekend that really reminded me of God's nature:

"The God who blesses and orders our lives is the God who disrupts it in order to make things new."

God is making things new for us...and we're holding on to Him as we go along for the ride.