global impact

It's been a while since my last blog. After two weeks of rest and relaxation I have been busy serving as a delegate to the Nazarene General Assembly. My days have been filled with meetings, legislative decision-making and enjoying the fellowship with thousands of other believers.

Today I became a part of history in our denomination. Today the General Assembly elected the first minority international general superintendent. Today Eugenio Duarte was elected to serve in the highest elected office in the Church of a Nazarene. It was a tremendous opportunity to recognize that LFCN is a part of a community of faith that is both global and missional.

We celebrate!

Stephen Willis

Visual Effects

Here are a few "visual effects" from Orlando.



Lisa, Nick and Micah spinning in the tea cup.



Camden was also in the teacup.




Micah hanging with Anna in his "rented ride."





Lee giving Tonja a kiss in the teacup!


Abiding in Him!

Stephen

One Body

The last few days have been tremendous for the Willis family. I have watched lifetime memories being created for my family. These memories will always be remembered. Over the last few days we have explored the Magic kingdom and the Animal kingdom in Orlando. We closed the Magic kingdom down one night and started the Animal kingdom up the next. It has been busy, crazy and wonderful all at once. We have shared the last few days with the Hall family and that to has been great. When all eleven of us enter a park or restaurant we are a spectacle to see. The stair step of kids goes like this: Adam (14), Andrew (12), Nick (9), Aaron (8), Camden (7), Anna (6) and Micah (4). I tell you that to also inform you that Micah has been a trooper keeping up with the rest of the gang. We have aided him in every possible way. We rented a stroller each day, Lisa has carried him on her hip, I have carried him on my shoulders, and everyone else in the group has held his hand one time or another. For me it has been a personal example of the community of faith that I lead at LFCN. We are on a journey together. We are so important to each other. We will experience times of great euphoria (you should have seen Micah today in the African Safari....he was amazed), and we will experience difficult times as well (the Florida sun has taken it's toll on Micah and everyone else). However, we are in it together!!! Let's look over our shoulder, let us lift as we climb!!!

"Old Friend"

This morning the Willis family awoke just miles away from Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Just minutes after waking up my youngest boy Micah proclaimed, "I can't wait to go see my old friend Mickey." I couldn't help but chuckle once I heard Micah's proclamation. We spent the day in Disney World and had a tremendous time despite the high temps. However, one thing was noted when we returned home this afternoon..... we didn't get to see Mickey. We still have a few days left to get the opportunity. This afternoon as I hear the rumbles of a late afternoon thunderstorm I am grateful that I have an "old friend" who is much more impressive than Mickey. He is the God of the universe, the giver of life, and the sustainer of all things.

Pastor Stephen

Father's Day

Yesterday at this time Lisa and I were still in north central Maine. Twenty-four hours later we have reunited with our boys and now are in southern South Carolina on our way to Orlando. After arriving at the hotel I had a chance to take the boys to the pool for a little fun. As Micah and I hung out near the edge of the pool he looked at me and said, "Dad I love you because you love me." Wow! Pretty good statement to end Father's Day on. God used my four year old to bring things in clear perspective concerning the relationship that I have with Him. "I love Him because He first loved me." Just wanted to remind you of that on this Father's Day. No matter the performance of our earthly fathers we all have a Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally.

Stephen

This entry is dedicated to my earthly father..... Captain Billy Willis. Thanks for loving me unconditionally. :)

Committed Love

Yesterday we left Boston and drove North to Waterville ME. Today I have the priviledge of officiating the wedding of Langston Ware and Danielle McCarthy. It's extra special in that today is the eleven year anniversary of my own marriage to the wonderful Lisa Cox Willis.

After the wedding and reception today Lisa and I will drive the two hundred miles back to Boston. After spending tonight at Eastern Nazarene College we will fly out of Boston early in the morning back to Raleigh. Once we arrive in Raleigh we will drive back to Lisa's parents home, pick up the kids and start the second leg of our sabbatical..... Disney here we come!!!

Lowered Wings

How can I hear the voice of the Lord? I think we find the first step in Ezekial 1:25. The Word states, "Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings." This morning as I read God's Word and reflected on my devotional "Streams in the Desert" I learned that these living creatures lowered their wings in order to eliminate the activity of their lives and to bring reverence to God. It is my prayer that you take time to lower your wings to God in order that you can produce his will. L.B. Cowman states, "Oh, how much energy we waste! How much time we lose by refusing to lower the wings of our spirit and become totally quiet before Him! Imagine the calm, the rest, and the peace that will come as we wait in His presence until we hear from Him!"

Hoping you take the time to hear from Him today.

Today Lisa and I are in Newport, Rhode Island. We walked the cliffs of Newport yesterday. Today we plan on touring the mansions that line the coast.

Abiding!

Stephen

Flight North

This morning Lisa and I left out of the Raleigh-Durham Airport for Boston. Our flight left at 6 am so we found ourselves up at 2:45 am to ensure that we arrived in Raleigh early enough to catch our flight. Our initial flight left late because they couldn't get the plane to start.....no kidding! However, after some repair and a lot of reassurance we arrived in New York just in time to catch our connecting flight. As we settled in to the second leg of our flight I opened my Bible and found these words in Psalm 62 "My soul finds rest in God alone (v. 1)." The psalmist goes on to to say in verse 5, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone." As I sat and reflected on God's Word I quietly bowed my head and thanked my Heavenly Father for the rest that I have in Him. In the coming weeks I plan to simply rest in Him. Today it is my prayer that you to can find rest in the one who brings rest to our souls. Abiding!

Stephen

Journey begins

It's Sunday night and my eight week summer sabbatical begins in the morning. Today was filled with our community of faith heaping blessings upon us as we begin this time of rest and renewal. What a tremendous honor it is to be apart of a community of people who geniunely love each other. I look forward to the next eight weeks away and I look forward to our return in August. I will be updating this blog throughout the next eight weeks. I look forward to the opportunity to spend significant quality time with my family, get quiet before my creator, and rest in His sweet presence.

Stephen