When God moves

God has been moving and shaking up our lives as of recent. About a month ago we caught word that Chris’s name had been dropped as a potential candidate for a youth pastor position at New Day Christian Fellowship. I thought nothing of it, to be honest. My thoughts were, “Sandals is my home and I’m not going anywhere!” Ha Ha!!! Chris couldn’t get it off his head throughout the next week or so but out of fear or nerves or whatever you want to call it, he was ready to take the laid back approach and let the chips fall where they may. At small group the next week, he was advised by friends/fellow youth leaders that if this is his God given passion and he’s feeling a pull towards it, he should pursue it. And so began the process to change our comfy lives.


Chris called his former youth pastor/friend, who had dropped his name in the first place, to ask about how he should proceed. He gave Chris the Pastor’s number and told Chris to call him. Chris did just that and met with Pastor Richard, and some other church leaders, for dinner. When Chris called me after the meeting and told me it had gone well and Pastor Richard wanted to meet me and the kids, I immediately started crying. I felt overwhelmed with grief at the thought of leaving my home church, Sandals! Secretly, in the back of my mind, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. So was Chris! This is what we’re more accustomed to when it comes to things such as this. At the same time, I felt a strange peace about it. I would follow my husband anywhere but I hoped God would reveal to me whatever He was going to reveal to Chris. So, that’s what I prayed… for peace, for wisdom in making the right decision, for confirmation from accountability and for us to move where He would have us move.

We made plans to meet with Pastor Richard and his wife, Cathy. I loved them from the get go. My kids loved them too (their dogs pretty much sealed the deal as far as the kids were concerned!) We had to overcome all kinds of obstacles that day just to make it to the meeting (random sickness, car accident, missing keys, peepee pants). I told Chris, either God or Satan doesn’t want you to have this job. Satan confirmed what I already felt in my heart, God wants to use my husband to communicate to and love on the youth at New Day Christian Fellowship.

We wanted to visit the church and asked God to seal the deal in our hearts either way. We both felt like we wanted to say yes but were very cautious to put that out there, to say it out loud! Inside, I was feeling less grief about leaving Sandals. It comes and goes in waves. I find myself having to go over the list of reasons for why we were going to leave our church home. The place we love. The place we walked through our dating life at, our engagement, our marriage, having kids and much more. The church we’ve grown leaps and bounds through! We love our church! The accuser was making me doubt the decision I was leaning towards. Chris met up with David Torna who is the Jr high youth minister at Sandals and a friend. David asked him some good questions. They were meant for Chris but one in particular really made my decision more final. The question was, “Why leave the church you already have community in and are effectively serving at?” Chris answered, “ When the passion you have is not fulfilled by just being a volunteer. He feels the passion he has for youth has never been truly fulfilled due to time constraints and even though he has been effective at Frontside, he feels taking this position will allow God to use his gifts and passion to be fully effective. That was it for me! The answer to that question for me is, when God moves you! I don’t want to leave the church I have community in and that I’ve effectively served at, but it’s not all about me and what I want. I want to stay with my friends, the Pastor I love listening to and God has used to grow me so much in my faith, the church I call my home. If God wants me to serve effectively to others who are in need of what God can do through me and Chris especially, then I’m going there! And we both said yes to the new position at our new church home! We are excited, nervous and sad at the same time but we are at peace and have great hope in God’s plan! We are thrilled to take everything God’s taught us through Sandals church to a new congregation. We are so thankful for all Sandals has done in our lives and for the role it’s played in keeping our marriage together. We will always love Sandals and be in support of them! We could never express just how much we mean that. Sandals holds a special place in our hearts forever!

Thank you to all the people at Sandals who’ve played a special role in God’s plan to grow and change us! We love you all! We won’t say goodbye. We’ll see you around!

Thank you to our friends and family who have been instrumental in our lives and particularly in supporting us in this decision! You’ve been wonderful! We love you much!

Chris, Helen, Jordyn and Levi McNiel

Written from Helen’s perspective