Running the back roads of New Brunswick during the fall is a wonderful thing that everyone should experience at least once. Today I want to tell you a little bit about what that might be like as well as update you on my time home to date.

Back Roads

I am back on “home turf” and have spent many an hour driving through the back country roads of southern New Brunswick. Admittedly, as a child and when my dad was behind the wheel, I didn’t see the point; “it’s just trees dad.” or “I’m bored dad, can we go home?” but now that I’m older there’s some mysterious draw to visit some old familiar places.

Take these pictures for example. On top is Frances Robertson Memorial Church, a small country church that sits atop the hill at the River Bank cemetery. I walked around then thought I’d try the door handle and, surprisingly… it worked!  The door was open and I got to go in and explore this beautifully preserved place of worship. They tell me (since then) that the door is always open in case some soul-weary individual feels the need to come in and talk to God or reflect on a loved one.  Very cool!

The signs of fall are everywhere… not just in the painted leaves of the maple, oak & beech trees. New Brunswickers go all out in showing off elements of the fall harvest… like these mini gourds on display in an old lantern shade. There is no end to the full sized pumpkins and garden mums.

 

Distilling my thoughts

The week home has been good as well in that it allowed me, among other things, to spend some time distilling my thoughts… trying to discern the voice of the Lord, clarify my own thinking and fight back fear of the unknown.

Any of you who know me well, know that in such times, I pull out my journal: When time & geography allow… I do that at a local Starbucks.

It’s uncanny how the simple act of writing things down not only anchors the thought, forces you to condense your thoughts into manageable pieces and gives you a written record to come back to when the memory of what God is both doing and/or wanting to do.

This week the Lord spoke to me particularly clearly about the need to not focus on the unknown, uncertain future but to instead put my trust in Him. That’s an old invitation, but sometimes it gets overlooked amid the business.

Our Home Church

It was just incredible to spend the week with Pastor Carter as well as Bros. Mark Robertson and Nick Graham. I am very thankful to them for facilitating this trip home!

I was in church Sunday morning and evening when Mikko Carter ministered then I taught on Wednesday night.

During the altar service on Sunday evening, the Lord moved powerfully and brought emotional healing to a number of those praying at the altar… it was amazing!

Northern NB: Bathurst & Campbellton

I’d appreciate your prayers as I travel to Northern New Brunswick today for services tomorrow in two bilingual churches.

I’ve been taking a number of pictures while here, with just a few of my Saint John peeps and I will share them in a separate post in the next week or two. It has been great to reconnect with so many.

For now though… I’ll let you go. Thank you for stopping by this morning. Please keep me in prayer over the next week and a half… For now I have a few things to finish up before hitting the road.

God bless you richly today!