The Church is the hope of the world. I’ve heard my son say this dozens of times. Grant, our firstborn, with the call of the Church on his life. And now this call is calling him away. Out of state. To Iowa. Des Moines.
Kyle says maybe we should find a little lake home, somewhere around Des Moines. A place to stay on weekends when we visit the kids and the church. We did an Internet search for real estate. How would you feel about a small farm with a tree? I suggested a nice hotel for now.
They’ll be leaving later this summer, after the wedding. Grant, and Kiana – who shares his dream. Finally I have a girl, and already he’s taking her away. It’s only Iowa, it could be worse. My head says – yes, I know. But my heart still aches, and for some reason this week I’ve been weepy thinking about it.
We’ve known for several months, but the news just became public a few weeks ago. Grant will be joining Mike – current high school pastor, mentor and friend to all of us. We’ll say good-bye to him, too, and his family. Jenny and the four kids – Jimmy, Emma, and twin baby boys.
These two men are young and full of passion. They love Jesus and they love the Church. The Hope of the World. Mike is brilliant and witty, and communicates the gospel better than any I’ve heard. Grant sings like an angel, according to one of the high school girls. His music is pure worship – that I’ll say for sure. The two will make a great team, and we can hardly wait to see what God has in store.
This morning I was thinking back. Thinking about how the Church has shaped my son. How Jesus and music have grown side by side in the core of his being. I was thinking about Tom, the Middle School pastor who started a band just for Grant. We bought a fancy keyboard, bigger than him, and he’d carry it back and forth to church every Sunday. I cried when middle school was over, and wondered if Grant would ever have another chance to play his music.
It’s funny how Moms have to cry these things through. Just like now. And I should know by now the next season is always better by far than what I’m expecting. There’s always more gain than loss.
Mike likes to talk about the Church as a movement. Not a place, set in time. But something alive. Always growing, always gathering. Creating life and light wherever it goes.
Even in Iowa.
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