I'm B-a-a-a-c-k!
I've taken a good bit of time off from blogging since coming back to the States. I've been spending this time getting reacquainted with my family, traveling, and starting at my new church.
Almost immediately after returning we spent 9 days at the beach. Pam (my wife) asked if I really wanted to see sand again. I told her that as long as there was water and no one was trying to kill me I was more than happy to go to the beach. Not long after that we visited family in the Western North Carolina mountains. It's great to see all the greenery after a year and a half of desert.
The new church is great. We have a wonderful staff that I have already grown to appreciate and love. August 26th was my first Sunday with 1,400 in worship. Even this weekend, with the long holiday, had good attendance. The people have been very welcoming and gracious.
It was on Labor Day last year that I flew from Kuwait to Iraq. It's hard to believe that a year has passed and that I will be partying with friends in a few hours rather than conducting "business as normal". As anyone over there can tell you; there are no holidays in a combat zone.
I don't know what I will do with this blog now, or if anyone is still checking it. I may shut it down and start a "Dr. Jim's blog" If you have any suggestions, make sure to let me know!
God bless you all. Thanks for reading and sharing this past year's adventure with me. Have a great Labor Day!
posted by Jim Higgins @ 6:52 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Greetings from a fellow "MethoBlogger!" I just found this site from a comment you left over at Come to the Waters. Really interesting stuff - I look forward to reading more! Blessings on you as you begin another stage of your ministry.
Yes I have been checking to see if you update or not. I am happy for you as you serve God, your family and your new church. I will keep checking as you update or change it. God bless
Hellllo Jim! Yes, keep in touch! We totally enjoyed your "first" sermon last week. And to stoke your fire, everyone we met and talked with was excited and happy to have you there. (little do they know!) Seriously, it was wonderful to see you and the family and experience first hand your total welcome by your new congregation. God bless, and keep up the good work!
Tony and Betty
I check here daily for comments and inspiration. Now that you're out of harm's way, can you share more of your experiences?
Trust me, as someone who has been "over there" myself (in a similar non-combatatnt role but as an airevac tech), your blog can serve as a very effective outlet for things that you didn't know were bottled until months later.
I look forward to reading further.
I definately think you should continue your blog. I love looking at it and seeing what is going on in your life. You could post things about church or interesting news. You could talk the great video that your son made for you that i saw. Hope this helps.
I commend you for doing the work of the Lord. What an awesome ministry to minister to men and women on the front line of a war. They are warring in the natural and God has his men and women there warring in the spiritual. I pray that God will continue to give you wisdom, discernment, & spiritual strength. I pray for the soldiers; protection, wisdom, strength, perserverance and love among themselves as well as the people they are and will minister help to. May the blood of Jesus be upon you all and his angels have charge over you. In Jesus name. Amen.
welcome home sir, and thank you so much for what you did for our soldiers
Jim - stop your blog? Come on Jim. Amy and I have followed you over and back. We salute your service, not to mention baptizing both of our children and serving us some great pulled pork :-) We wish you and your family all the best with the new congregation and we hope that they appreciate your spiritual and culinary guidance as much as we do. I am still here in Washington tending to a few of the bits and bytes that help the Army and Air Force in their global mission and thank you for going to do work at the "tip of the spear." - Colt and Amy
Good to hear from you!
Glad your life is going well and all are happy!
God Bless!
That is very inspiring. I do wish our soldiers were not in Iraq in harm's way, but I am in awe of and immensely thankful for your courage, work, and commitment.
I've enjoyed reading about your experience ministering to our men and women in harms way. Please keep their memories alive by continuing to share yours.
Chaplain,
Some chaplains will remember the Military Chaplains Review, which once provided a forum for reporting and reflection related to the vocation of the military chaplaincy. Other publications, such as service-specific items and The Military Chaplain (of the Military Chaplains Association) are excellent . . . but they do not share the same scope as did MCR.
Good news--a new ejournal will begin publication this fall with a vision for addressing this need. Curtana † Sword of Mercy will provide a home for preserving the history of the chaplaincy, sharing ministry experiences and insights, and discussing challenging issues of import to clergy serving in the armed forces.
You can read more, and "subscribe" to the journal, at http://justwar101.com/journal/.
Call for manuscripts: If you feel inspired, get to that keyboard now and draft a manuscript to be considered for publication in the inaugural issue. Since the journal will be released in September, the deadline for submissions is 31 August. Details are available online, but all genres will be considered, and 500 to 2000 words is a safe ballpark for articles.
Please spread the word about the Curtana. We are especially eager to have chaplain assistants and international chaplains learn about the journal. And, although we will focus on matters of interest to the chaplaincy, everyone interested in the interplay between the military and religion will be potential readers of the publication.
Sincerely,
Robert C. Stroud
Chaplain, USAF (Retired)
Editor
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