Kevin Valentine :: Kensington Orlando

: kvorlando; November 18th, 12:24

Current Location:: United States, Florida, Winter Garden

I have a friend who I spoke with last night that is leaving an incredible job with an amazing church to move to Central America into full time missionary work to help strengthen churches and work with church leadership there. This requires him, his wife, and two small children to move to a third world country, raise support, and leave everything they have and everyone they know here in the states to pursue what God is asking them to do . I asked him…”so is this just the next 5 years …maybe see how it goes kind of a thing or is this a lifelong thing?”. His reply…”This is for life….the only reason we are leaving is if God calls us to another country.” He has never lived in Central America and has visited this country only for a few days. He has also known of this calling on his life for years. They are now less than a year from moving from the U.S. for the rest of their lives to pursue what God has asked them to.

I am blown away by their faith and willingness to take this leap into the unknown. When I look at what Melissa and I have done, I mean, yes we did move away from friends and family, we did move to a place we don’t know, we came here with big dreams and hopes for what God is going to do….but in the end, we are still in America with all of the freedoms and benefits that come along with this country. I look at how hard it has been, how concerned we were about the school system and our kids being dumber because we moved here (which I am excited to report…is not true). I look at how much time we have spent missing old friends and missing family. I look at how it is lonely being here on the ground floor without a large staff or lots of people engaged in what we are doing. I look at all the dreams and hopes we have for the next year and how we have no clue how God is going to pull this off. At times this whole thing feels heavy and overwhelming. Then I have a conversation like last night and I get perspective.

That perspective is this….

Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

For my friends leaving the U.S., what they are going to see and are going to experience will FAR outweigh the sacrifices they make on the journey. As we are experiencing here in Orlando and they will experience in Central America, for those who are willing to give away their comfort, their security, their homes, their families, their life for the sake of Christ….. they will find life, life to the full. For Melissa and I, although it has been tough at times, we feel more alive than we ever have. Every contact is meaningful, every neighbor is someone to be loved, every family here with us is ON MISSION!

I pray that we will always be in a perpetual state of losing our lives and letting go of our idea of LIFE (security, comfort, standard, American dream) for the life that Jesus has for us…. We are just getting going and let me tell you… it has been soooo worth it already!

Lovin' it .... !!

: kvorlando; October 1st, 8:53

I am sitting in the Baltimore airport in between flights heading back to MI. As far as Florida goes…we truly are beginning to love our new home state. It’s weird but already I can’t imagine going back. We love Florida, we are getting used to it, we are growing fond of it, we are embracing our new city (Winter Garden) after just a short 7 weeks. Its funny how God works when he calls us. Answering the call, taking the step, jumping off the ledge is so scary because none of us know what is on the other side. Melissa and I experienced all of the emotions expected with such a huge move. Worry, excitement, fear, peace, anxiety, loneliness, short tempers, bewilderment, intense fun, joy, feeling like we were on our heels all the time just trying to catch up with what was going on. We had two kids to get into school (with 2 littler ones at home), a smaller than planned rental home (which we were only supposed to be in for 2 weeks….we are still there), no office to have video chat meetings with MI people in, very hot temps, didn’t know our neighbors or the area very well, all the “stuff” that goes along with moving and leaving a place you are well rooted.

What’s amazing to me though is how much we have loved the process. It hasn’t been easy but I wouldn’t change a thing! We had a three day drive to FL stopping at mammoth caves and all staying in a two room cabin for a night then a one room hotel suite. We are in a small home that is made for 3 maybe 4 people, not 6. We are on top of each other but I feel like I know my little ones and my wife better than ever precisely because of the proximity. We have made new friends, we have great neighbors, our kids absolutely LOVE their school, we have found a church that is letting us use their building for our Sunday night gatherings, small groups are happening, new people are being drawn to our mission, those that have come down with us are an amazing group in and of themselves. This if FUN!!! This is already better than I had dreamed it could be. Last week I spoke at a large church in Kissimmee. I was so loved and welcomed by them. As I was sitting in the service and during while I was talking I didn’t feel like an outsider or a guest speaker. I felt like these people were my people from my city...from my neck of the woods!

I have no idea how God is going to pull off all that he has given us dreams to do but I know one thing.

I have never been disappointed with the outcome when I have chosen to take a leap of faith to do what God asks me to. It’s always scary and crazy and full of the unknown…. but its also always good. I can’t believe God is letting Melissa and I be a part of a movement He wants to start in FL! When God tells you to do something… DO IT. It’s always worth it. It’s always scary. It’s always GOOD!

Lovin' it and lovin' you, In Him...

--KV

Back in Florida ... Update #3

: kvorlando; September 24th, 15:21

Hey everyone!

It was SOOOO great to be with you all this last week up in MI. First off I want to thank those of you who were at the Commissioning on Saturday Night at the Troy Campus. It was incredible seeing all of you up there on stage along with the picture of those down here on the ground. God is on the move both here and there! Sunday night at the gathering we had 16 first time people who have not been to a meeting yet . They were there because they were moved by Saturday night and YOUR OBEDIENCE to journey with God. I met with them all and it was great to hear their stories of how God has been speaking and encouraging them to be a part of this adventure with Kensington. I am praying for you all as you continue to seek and trust God with your futures!

Down here in FL we are already starting to see people from the area hear about what we are doing, be intrigued that so many people are crazy enough to follow God down here, and are engaging us. Last weekend we were excited to have over 70 people come out to hear and meet Steve Andrews who was down here to speak at our Orlando Gathering. It was really a special night!

Another extremely exciting part of that same evening was the beginning of Orlando Campus small groups up in MI. Small groups are the easiest way to step into the vision of what Kensington and our Orlando campus is all about. True life change happens best in the context of a small group. If you are not in one and would like to join a small group in your area with others tracking with coming to Orlando...trust me... There is not a better way to be journeying towards joining us than to do that with others who are seeking and praying about coming down here also. To join an Orlando Campus in your area small group email our Orlando Campus Small Group Director Deb Oliverio at doliverio@kensingtonchurch.org.

Along with the launch of Small groups in MI we also launched small groups down here in FL the same night. They also got off to a great start and everyone is loving getting plugged into a community to do life with!

Please mark down on your calendars for our next Gathering in Michigan on October 4th from 430-6pm in room 213. I would love to see you there! (I'll be back in town ... ;-)

One last thing... The deadline for our October Plunge is October 1st. Again I can't encourage you enough to come down here on a plunge if you are still praying about coming. It will give you the full vision of what God is doing down here and help flesh out your role in it! You can find out all the info you need about it at kensingtonchurch.org/orlando

I love you guys and love being on this journey with you!

Kevin Valentine

Ps ... Below are some pictures of the spray park in Dr. Phillips (about 15 minutes from Winter Garden) that we went to yesterday. It is awesome and is FREE during the week. The kids love it, and so do we:)

Update #2

: kvorlando; September 4th, 12:29

Hello again from Orlando-Land -

We have been here two weeks already! So far it has been a great, weird, exciting, stressful transition.

Things we like – Thunderstorms every afternoon (way cool), hearing the Disney fireworks every night at 10pm, palm trees everywhere!, school administration is really helpful and organized, parks with lots of shade (you can actually be outside in 90+ degree weather if you are in the shadeJ), really smooth roads, Winter Garden mall at Fowler groves 5 minutes away, Chic Fil-A with a play place for the kids, people are really friendly here, meeting new people, and being here with OVER 50 PEOPLE already!

Things we don’t like – The heat is pretty hot if you aren’t in the shade, not being in our house yet (it’s a short sale….these things take time), toll roads, not having a swimming pool available to beat the heat, working in Panera and trying to make phone calls and video meetings happen with lots of background noise and people listening in, filling out the plethora of paperwork to get our kids into their schools, school starts next Monday (Summer has gone by so fast).

I still cant believe that 50+ people are already here, our plan was for about 30 or so. Needless to say we are bumping up our timelines for starting small groups and gatherings here in FL. What an incredible Journey we are all on. I am so excited for those of you planning on coming and being a part of this. God is on the move already down here and I cant wait to see how it all is going to unfold.

We are planning a serving day in the next couple of weeks to go help our friends at the Destiny Foundation in Downtown Orlando. You can check out what they do at Battlepoverty.org. They are going to be a partner of ours as we get going.

I am praying for those of you who are “In Motion” for getting here and also for those of you who are still on the Fence. There is plenty of time to get down here. Be patient and know that we will welcome you with open arms when you get here!

In Him,

KV & the whole V family…

Valentine Family Update ...

: kvorlando; August 19th, 22:13

Hey all,

Well Melissa and I made it to Orlando last week on Wednesday. We left last Monday and drove to Mammoth Caves in KY to take the kids on some cave tours. Amazing btw if you haven’t been you need to go...wow! It sure was weird driving out of MI knowing we aren’t coming back. We are now Floridians....crazy! God is already on the move down here, we have over 50 people already down here from MI. That’s about 20 more than expected and more are on their way! We are settling in to new neighborhoods and a new way of life.... Lots of sunshine, hot hot hot humidity (not bad in the shade tho), a thunderstorm for 10-20 minutes most afternoons, Chic Fil-A (even one with a play place for the kids!), hearing the Disney fireworks every night around 10pm, 3 football teams to root for, and really friendly people so far! The transition has been kinda crazy with so many of us down here trying to figure out life in a different state. Its hectic getting ready for school to start next week. Lots of paperwork and such to fill out.

As far as the Orlando Campus goes we are hard at work putting together small group plans and regular meeting times for all of us down here. We didn’t expect so many people here so we are bumping up our plans for starting small groups and gatherings.

A couple of great stories have begun to surface. One is from a family that has been attending the troy campus for the last 3 or 4 years. They have watched the Orlando thing develop over the last year and thought “that is going to be a great adventure for those people going!” Little did they know that last month the Husband (John) would get a dream job with the Golf Channel which is based here in Orlando. So two weeks ago we get this email from them saying “hey we are in Orlando...what do we do?” Haha. Melissa and I and the kids and another family ,the Semps, are going over there this Sunday to meet them and swim in their pool, BBQ, and welcome them to Central FL (even though they beat us here!).

Another is from a young woman named Chelsea who was initially interested in Orlando but early on figured it would be too hard as a young girl right out of College to head down and be a part of all of this. Three weeks ago she got a call from a school down here that wanted to interview her, flew down, got the job, packed up her stuff, and is living in Claremont about 10 minutes away.

As of now we are already starting to attract locals from the area to what we are doing. So far this truly has been the adventure of a lifetime for all involved. God is truly beginning a new movement ‘Kensington Style’ here in Winter Garden.

We covet your prayers as we reach out to many new people God is placing all of us near down here. We are also in the process of looking for and hiring staff and would love your prayers for that as well. SO for now I will leave you with some Pics of the drive down and our first pic inside the state lines of Florida!....Go Gators??? :)

In Him ,

Kevin Valentine

Off We Go ...

: kvorlando; August 3rd, 11:07

Well, this is it! As this note is posted we are driving out of the state of Michigan and heading to Orlando ... it's hard to believe that by sometime on Wednesday, we will officially be Floridians! (Although Michigan still has my heart just like the Detroit Lions do!!). As I look back on the last year of our lives it has been a whirlwind. We have left a church that we loved and thrived at to begin a new life with Kensington Church starting a new challenge that Kensington has never before done. In coming to Kensington we reconnected with old friends and mentors and also began building a new family of people to do life with. It is with those who are willing to sell it all and follow the call of Christ to start a new work in Orlando that are fast becoming our new family. I still can't believe so many are willing to take the risk and dream big dreams and move with us. It is following Christ at its finest. It doesn’t make sense, its risky, its kinda crazy if you ask me, but when you're doing something crazy with a bunch of other crazy people who love Jesus enough to do the extraordinary... it almost seems normal! Michigan has been amazing. I spent my college years playing golf there, I met the girl of my dreams there and married her there!! We’ve experienced great tragedy and even greater triumphs in this great state. All of our children were born at the same hospital and all brought home to the house we sold two months ago. Michigan has been awesome! My wife has never lived more than 30 miles from where she grew up. We both LOVE Michigan and have a little apprehension and sadness as we leave it. We don’t know what Florida holds for us but we do know that God is calling us there. We don’t know what it's going to be like to live in the land near Mickey with 300 days of sunshine a year, but we do know there’s over a hundred others who love Jesus that will be finding out with us. If the next twenty years of our lives are going to be a continuation of the last 20 years of God's leadership and blessings in our lives as we follow Jesus, Florida is going to be INCREDIBLE!!!! Where God guides He provides! And Provide He has. We are stoked about going and we are sad about going. A weird mix of emotions were stirring as we spent our last few days there and began the venture into the unknown. We are making a trip of it along the way. Later today, we'll be in Kentucky and stop at the Mammoth Caves for the big tour. Tuesday its on to Atlanta to the Aquarium there, then Wednesday on to our new hometown of Winter Garden, Florida. We will keep you updated as time permits. Thank you for your prayers for us and for those who are also already there and will be heading down in the next few months.... YEAH GOD!!!!

The Day of Battle

: kvorlando; July 10th, 16:32

I have a friend who is a pastor at a great church who has a unique way of speaking into the responsibility we all have when following Christ. He quotes Proverbs 21:31 which says this…. “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”

This has always stuck with me since I have heard it. In this short verse you have a great principle for following God wherever he asks you to join Him in His work. Our Part? To make the horse ready for the day of battle. His Part? Victory!!

The reality is you and I are human and can only do so much. We cant save anyone’s soul, only God can. We can’t move mountains, only God can. We cant make our house sell in MI, only God can (haha). Victory in our situations comes from God, not us. We can take credit if we want but scripture reminds us that “every good thing comes from God”. Your house selling, your promotion, your kids growing up and loving Him, your neighbor accepting Christ, a sunny day, a new job in Orlando..... All good things come from Him.

Yet according to this verse we still have the responsibility of preparing the horse for the day of battle. We are to do everything humanly possible, do everything in our power, do as much as we can do to prepare for the battle ahead but yet realize, at the end of the day, victory can only be had by God showing up and winning it for us.

Our part is to prepare, His part is the victory. Our job is to do EVERYTHING humanly possible to get ready for battle, His job….. victory. Our responsibility is to exhaust our resources getting in position to go, His job…. Kick open the doors to make it happen. Our part is to work hard as if working unto the Lord…. His job is to bring the victory in whatever situation we find ourselves.

This looks different for all of us. For some of us that means sharing the truth about Christ with people we don’t think it will impact and realizing its Gods job to save them but our job to prepare them. For some of us that is doing the hard work of getting the house up for sale or diligently searching for a new job SO THAT God can bring the victory of a sold house or a new job. For Kensington that means working our tails off to make sure that every detail of a weekend service is thought through and prepared for SO THAT God can change lives.

Too often I watch Christians miss out on Gods victory in their life because they are not willing to pursue preparing for the day of battle. Maybe the battle seems too big or too difficult. Maybe they don’t have the guts to fight for what God is calling them to. For whatever reason they sit on the sidelines and never get prepared for God to show up.

I don’t know where you are at with God or what He is calling you to but I do have two questions for you. Are you doing everything you know to do to be prepared for the battle God is calling you to? And if not....what's holding you back? After all ... "the future started yesterday ..." (click to listen to John Legend's "If You're Out There")

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

: kvorlando; June 14th, 23:45

One of the blessings of walking with God for a while is learning to trust His timing. Its something that many of us struggle with because we live in such a rush hurry up get it done I want it now culture. As more and more people go on our plunge’s and hear Gods voice calling them to Orlando (over 150 people at this point) and return to their lives back here in Michigan I have noticed frustration creeping in. I have heard things like “we know God is calling us but were not getting any movement on our house,” or “God said go and now its hurry up and wait and we are not finding any jobs down there,” or “we know we are going we just don’t know when and it's discouraging”.

If I could share something that has proven true time and time again in my life it is first of all I have found that God’s timing is perfect. He just seems to have a way with understanding time and my life and when certain things are best to happen. (its almost like he created time or something)... Second of all I have found that even though I may want something sooner rather than later God will hold off on giving me that until I am ready for it so it really is what is BEST for me and my family.

Maybe it is a maturity issue, a heart issue, or maybe it would just be really hard on the family for “right now” to be the right time. I’m not sure why some things God is fast on and some things he is slow on but I do know this. He knows me. He knows my family. He knows what’s best for me and my family. He WANTS what’s best for us also. That gives me peace as I wait on His timing.

I have to trust that His timing is best. I have to trust that His timeline is BETTER than mine, even though it may not be EASIER. I have to trust that if this opportunity passes me by the next one WILL BE BETTER. Living in submission to God means submitting your timeline for your life to Him and being ecstatic about the adjustments he makes because they are what is BEST for you.

So with all that said as you hope for what you do not yet have…. for answers, for direction, for jobs, for selling your home, for changing careers. WAIT PATIENTLY. His timing is so much better than yours and mine ever could be. Trust Him. Know that He has yours and His best interest in mind. Relax and let go of the anxiety and rest in His arms... He’s got it, trust Him.

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Love you guys,

KV

Got Guts?

: kvorlando; May 13th, 22:20

When this idea was first announced late last year, there were a handful of us committed to going to Orlando …. just 14 people. Now eight months later, after unleashing the vision of what God wants to do in Winter Garden, FL there are over 120 of you who are “all-in” and another 50+ asking God to reveal His will for you, because you too are feeling His tug on your heart for this movement that is beginning to become a reality … a dream come true!

As I have talked with many of you, at times in the back of my mind I am thinking…”are you guys crazy?” “Are you listening to yourself talk?” You are leaving everything and selling it all to do this deal! Now I don’t actually say that, I have been acting like this is the most sane well thought out smart idea you have ever come up with. But if you think about it (yes Melissa and I still do this even now) it’s crazy to do what we are doing. It’s crazy to just up and move to basically begin a church campus in way that’s never been done before.

I have even wondered why anyone would even contemplate such a crazy idea, especially those of us that will only register loss for the short term in their job, finances, and family.

As I ponder this I am reminded of the words of Alan Hirsch. He is an author and speaker who is an expert on the movements of the church and of Christianity. He speaks out quite strongly against the Christianity many of us have experienced in our lifetime describing it as safe, sane, proper, institutionalized, and consumeristic. Of which I largely agree. Alan makes a statement that I believe answers why people would be willing to sell out to go do this thing in Orlando. Alan says of Christianity “We have got to re-introduce RISK back into following Jesus”.

This statement of his has stuck with me since I heard it months ago. I couldn’t agree more, we have made Christianity so safe and proper and welcoming that we have neutered it of risk. It is this very reason that I think makes Orlando so appealing to so many. We are re-introducing RISK back into following Jesus!!! We are giving people the opportunity to risk it all for a dream, for a calling, for a hope of God showing up and changing people’s lives! For so many of us, THIS is the adventure we have been waiting for Jesus to take us on.

Now I have heard and know that many people think what we are doing is moving to a pleasure filled warm year round vacation mentality land filled with beautiful people who lay in the sun all day. (I fit the bill! … the beautiful part anyways:) Trust me, I have heard it all. But as I learned long ago it doesn’t matter where you live - leading people to Jesus Christ and building a movement of Christ-followers who fight against the current of our culture is hard work and a dangerous mission. There is no guarantee of success. nor a promise of it being an easy road. All we have is a God who dreams bigger than us and invites us to follow Him wherever He leads. To those who have the guts to risk it all and follow, the adventure of a lifetime awaits!

I pray that none of us who follow Christ would ever have our mooring lines wound so tight that the cost of cutting them and giving up our comfort for going wherever God calls is too great! To those who have the guts to risk it all and follow, the adventure of a lifetime awaits!

"God … Is That You?" .... Part II

: kvorlando; April 3rd, 11:54

Still wondering what God is asking you to do? Two weeks ago we took our first group on a “plunge” into the Orlando area. Within the time there we carved out a half hour to spread out, grab a journal and a pen, and just ask God to speak to us and tell us what He wants us to do (the “listening prayer”). The idea is to listen and write down whatever God says to you.

I know it sounds kind of weird but you know what? I think we often are so busy talking TO God we forget to listen FOR Him to answer. That night after we did the listening prayer we asked everyone to share what God said to them. I was blown away that night. God spoke to ALL 30 OF US! We sat before Him and listened and He spoke!

It was a tearful evening as I just began to realize in my own life how little time I spend truly listening for God to speak. I am busy “doing”, I am busy “going”, I am busy “being”, I am rarely sitting still and “listening”.

How about you? When was the last time you sat still for 30 minutes, grabbed a pen and journal and sat before God and invited Him to speak to you? I am convinced He so desperately wants to but rarely does He get to.

Samuel was asleep and was woken up when he heard God’s voice calling out to him. There was just one problem. Samuel didn’t recognize it. He thought it was Eli, his mentor, who was asleep in another room, calling to him. It wasn’t until the third time that Eli realized it was God calling to Samuel and He instructed Samuel to answer. 1 Sam 3: 8 - Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

God has such an unbelievable desire to speak to us. He longs to speak life and truth and direction into our lives. How often do you and I, like Samuel, not recognize His voice? The voice of Our Savior, full of love for us, so gentle, so caring.

It is my prayer for my life and for yours that you might sit down this week, maybe even today, with pen and journal and speak those words that Eli instructed Samuel to say .. “Speak Lord for your servant is listening”.

God desperately wants to communicate with you… are you listening??

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” - John 10:27

"God ... Is that You?" - Part I

: kvorlando; March 15th, 22:18

Don't you wish there was an easy cut and dried way to distinguish God's call? Me too!! But, the reality is ... I don't know if there is a specific formula for you or I to know what God wants us to do. Maybe you've had times when you have genuinely sensed the presence of God's voice ... that's happened very rarely in my life. Most often, He speaks to me through His word, through messages that I hear from others teaching on God's word, or through people I am close to.

Throughout the years of listening hard to what God wants of me, I have found that there are a number of ways He's shown me His direction for my life. In part one this post, allow me to share a few of them with you:

The first way that God has often revealed His will to me is through what I call "The Path of Peace".

As I have sought God's direction for my life when considering what seem like open doors there have always been certain doors open that there's just more peace about. Call it trusting your gut, or the nudge of the Holy Spirit ... I have learned to listen for peace in my own spirit when facing decisions. That doesn’t usually mean following the easiest route. It just means if the door I want to go through leaves me unsettled, or it feels like cramming a square peg in a round hole, or I have some other uneasiness about it…. I listen to that. I explore it and try to discover why I lack peace about that decision.

I've mentioned previously that for many of us, this Orlando adventure -even though it will uproot and drastically change our lives- we somehow have a greater sense of peace about going than staying here…. As if to stay here and say no would be to miss out on God's plans for us and we have no peace about staying but a weird unexplainable peace about going. That’s the path of peace, it's not always the easier choice but the path that our spirits have a calmness or a feeling of relief about.

Another way God has spoken to me is when I delight myself in Him….

Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Many of you have said to me: "I really want to move to Florida and I'm excited about it ... how do I know if it's just me that wants it? If it's what I really want that’s probably not what God wants, right?”

The answer to that question is found in that verse from Psalm 37: "Delight yourself in God and He will give you the desires of your heart." The desires of our heart is a two way street. When you and I make God our focus when we truly find delight in knowing Him and desiring more and more of Him in our lives, He responds by giving us two things. First, He transplants His desires for our lives into our hearts so that our desires -what we desire and want to do with our lives- are His desires for our lives. He literally forms His desires for our lives into our hearts (how cool!!) so we want what He wants! And, on top of that -secondly- He then gives us the opportunity to DO IT!

Isn’t it just like God to not only give us the gift of a yearning inside of ourselves consistent with what He has already planned for us and then lays out an even BIGGER gift of letting us actually do that very thing with our lives! So, I say to answer the question that not only has God given you and I a desire to live in Florida but now has also given us a mission and purpose to go along with that very desire. Once we have a sense of the invitation God has written on our hearts, we can then take that first step ahead with enthusiasm, anticipation and confidence that He will contintue to guide and direct our way. What does that first step look like for you?

Feel like sharing your journey with others on the Orlando adventure? Why not post your thoughts by clicking on the "Leave a Comment" link below?

< Check back later this week for Part II >

Emotions ... (part two)

: kvorlando; February 4th, 21:41

Current Mood:: Yes!

I believe for those of you praying about Orlando that this opportunity and calling has the potential to be one of the defining moments of your life where you answer the question “do you really trust God?” Not with words, not with an imperceptible nod of the head… but with your life! Maybe for the first time in your life NOW is your time to yell out a resounding YES in answer to that question by answering with action!

Is it normal to experience fear as you pray about moving across the country to reach others for Christ?…. Yes! If you didn’t I might say there is something wrong with you… but as that fear wells up the opportunity to trust God also wells up within us. The disciples had no clue what the next three years of their life would be like. They had no clue that God was going to show up through them like he did. There is no way they could have known how hard it would be to follow Jesus during his time on earth and afterward.

They also didn’t know that following Jesus would result in changing our world forever. There is no way they could have known that through their obedience and willingness to follow Him that God would use them to start a movement that is still alive today. Little did they know that their lives would count for so much more than they ever could have dreamed.

I believe in Orlando that we will be reaching people that would not be reached had we not gone. We have the opportunity to literally be used by God to change the world forever in the Orlando area. Its dangerous, kinda crazy, and preposterous to some. Trust me I have had more than one person cock their head to the side and ask me… “Seriously???” What a fantastic calling to be a part of that to man’s wisdom is folly yet to God it is the fulfillment of His dream to build the kingdom of heaven!

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do through those who are called AND SAY YES!!! to this adventure. I look forward to meeting those of you He brings along with us. But even if this journey is not the journey for you, follow Jesus wherever he asks you to go whether it is through getting more involved at Kensington, or at your own local church, moving 1200 miles away, or even 5000 miles away to another country. If Gods plans are what you were designed for(which they are), and you truly trust him that his ways are better than yours (which they are)….. then push through your fear and say “YES” to whatever he asks you to do!

Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? (The Message)

Kevin

Emotions ... (part one)

: kvorlando; February 4th, 14:53

Current Location:: Heading to Orlando ...

Current Mood:: scared

As I meet and talk with people who are feeling a nudge to go on a great adventure with God, there is a common emotion that is usually attached with the push to completely change your life and follow Jesus wherever He asks you to go. It is an emotion many of us attempt our whole lives to avoid. One we organize and structure our daily to do list to get rid of and one no one in their right mind would willingly step into. That emotion is fear.

As my wife and I have found, once the reality of a potential calling hits, one that could and will change many aspects of your life, soon thereafter along with excitement and joy is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of moving away from family and friends, fear of following our own desires instead of God’s, fear of starting over, fear of it not being worth it. ALL OF THESE FEARS ARE NORMAL to experience when we feel God calling us to do something that requires sacrifice.

As I read the scriptures and see when Jesus calls his disciples, I am amazed at their willingness to drop their nets on the spot and follow. How did they do that? How could they in a moments notice leave their family business, leave their family, leave their friends and follow Jesus who really hadn’t even done that much up to that point? They had to have been afraid, they had to have wondered if it was going to be worth it. What compelled them to be so bold, so quick, so willing to follow Jesus?

I believe it was a number of things. They had an advantage over us…. They could look Jesus the Son of God in the eyes. Maybe it was the determination they saw on his face as he asked them to give up everything to follow him? Maybe it was a look in his eye that made them feel they could trust this man? Maybe it was their desire to truly be obedient to God or to actually make a difference in the world around them?

Whatever it was, in a moments notice it pushed all of them beyond their initial fear to being willing to leave everything to follow Jesus. It changed their life forever. They would never be the same.

I believe that is where much of our fear comes in as we contemplate truly following Jesus wherever he asks us to go. Many of us fear our lives being changed forever. We like the comfort of the “known”. We like the stability of knowing for the most part what tomorrow has in store. We have friends, we have a schedule, we have a job, we have a house, extended family which are all good things. For many of us to even think about leaving any or all of that brings up a certain anxiety or fear of it not being as good on the other side of following God.

Don’t think my wife and I haven’t experienced the same anxiety and fear as we accepted this mission to lead Kensington to Orlando…. we have. We asked the questions many of you may have… “how do we leave an amazing church family?”, “how do we leave our family behind?, “Florida really? its so hot and humid in the summer.”, “we are comfortable here, we are doing fine, why mess up a good thing?”

And each time we asked the question we also felt God ask us a question… a simple question…. One that has a yes or no answer.

“Kevin, Melissa…. Do you trust me? Do you trust my word? My promises?”

Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

As fear creeps in, as the fear of potential failure, of the unknown, of leaving what is known to go into the unknown begins to cloud the front windshield of my life, I find myself face to face with THE question….”do I really trust God?”. Do I really trust that his plans are better than mine? Do I really trust that his plans are good plans? And it is at these moments that Gods’ promises speak up and the answer, although its scary to say….is yes. I do believe that. But saying it is one thing, living it out is quite another.

Kevin

kvorlando

Kevin Valentine :: Kensington Orlando

An Adventure With God