Ch-ch-ch-changes...

Just finished teaching Colossians, my last teaching for the New Testament portion of the Honolulu SBS.  I really love our students and staff, this is such a great group of people hungry for the Word of God!

But, the title of this post is changes, so let me address the changes that are taking place in my life.

2 weeks ago a decision was made to keep the Hawaiian Islands SBS in Honolulu for the entirety of the 9 months, rather than return to Kona for the Old Testament.
My commitment to SBS in Kona finishes in August, but I was going to staff the whole school since I'd return to Kona and I have sort of built a life there.  I have great roommates in Kona, I have a car there, and I have really grown to love the land and sea surrounding this part of Hawai'i.
When the decision was made to stay in Honolulu, I felt like God was releasing me from staying in Honolulu.  I haven't had the easiest time here.  Not because of anyone, just how it goes I suppose.  Some places you click and some places you don't.

So, I will finish my commitment to stay in Honolulu until mid-July at the end of the New Testament.  I will be leaving at that time to return to Kona.  But because I won't be staffing SBS in Kona now, this has opened the doors for me to look beyond Kona as well.  I know it will be hard to say aloha (for now) to my roommates and neighbors and friends in Kona, but I believe God is calling me onwards from there.  I'll be there for 1-2 weeks at the end of July to sort out packing up things and saying "see you later."

I still am passionate about teaching the Bible in SBS and want to see Pacific Islanders equipped and sent out into worldwide missions.  With that in mind and in my heart, I am going to attend the North America SBS Conference in Montana in August, and then I will be relocating to YWAM Los Angeles to work with the Chronological School of Biblical Studies for the next 2 years.  I would like to eventually see SBS re-pioneered in the Pacific, but I am not ready at this stage to be a part of that vision.  Los Angeles is a lot more accessible to Washington than Hawai'i, and I feel that is also important.

This isn't a rash decision, but one I've made with much council from my leader here in Honolulu, the director of SBS in Kona, and also my pastor in Washington and friends and family.

But it is a change and I would appreciate your prayers that I would make the next two months here in Honolulu the best they could be, and that God would prepare the way for a smooth transition from here to Los Angeles and everywhere in between.

Thanks so much!