FROM THE HEART

There's No Growth Without Change

By Stacee Helton

July 8, 2024

Yesterday at church, a sweet friend came over to speak with me about some upcoming changes we are about to embark upon, and I reminded her that there is no growth without change. (Something I remembered writing in the Notes section of my phone a few years back). She became excited at hearing this, both for us and for our dear church family in Missouri that will soon face a new normal when we leave them next month. We are not worried about their future, however, because any change that God brings about will ultimately be “good”, as is everything He touches and directs.  I looked back in the Notes section of my phone to find that it was exactly five years ago, on the exact same date, that those words were written.  I could never have imagined where He would be leading us five short years later.

If you’ve been patiently waiting for these last six months to hear from me, let me both apologize to you and also thank you for your incredible patience. You might remember that my daughter created this blog for me a couple of years ago when I became an empty-nester and she felt I needed a hobby.  (I still laugh at that because both my schedule and the church schedule are always quite full, but she was trying to encourage me to write more, and it worked). I agreed because it was a good way to stay connected to my daughter, from across the miles. Then, I began taking classes for my ordination process, and any free time I used to have has greatly decreased. I have decided to jump back in today, and give you all a life update. 

It was November, and I was about a week into the start of my first course (there will be 6 of them in total, and it will take 3 years to complete the ordination process), when I learned of a church in Oklahoma City that would be looking to hire an Administrative Pastor when their current superstar retired in the Fall of the next year. I had just told my family that I could see myself in that particular role, even though I had not personally known of a church who had an Administrative Pastor,  and that maybe God would lead me to that position one day.  I expected it would be several years down the road, if He did. I was definitely surprised when this particular job opening presented itself, a week after I mentioned it to them.  

After much prayer and countless ways in which God showed us this is what He wants for us, my husband and I made the decision that I should apply for the job. In March, I was offered the job, and we tearfully announced our upcoming departure to the church.  (Change can be exciting and hard, all at the same time). At the time, five more months here seemed like a long time away, but March has quickly turned into July, and we are preparing to move in five short weeks.  Our house was placed on the market at the end of April, and was under contract in 3 days. We closed on it last month, and have spent our summer planning and traveling with the youth group that we’ve been leading for a dozen years now. We have just returned from International Youth Convention (IYC) in Orlando, and treasured our time, as this was our last trip with them. 

God has been working out all the details as we prepare for our move. We can see His hand all over this transition, and are currently trusting His guidance and timing with regards to new employment for my husband. Our roles are reversed this time around, and even though we are walking into new territory, it’s also very familiar.  We also have a bonus blessing: our grown kids will be living nearby! 

Our upcoming change is exciting, but also bittersweet. I hope you will look for opportunities to grow, even if the corresponding change might be tough! It’s true: there is no growth without change. But change can be good! Until next time… Be blessed!