A Roller Coaster Ride

As I wrote about on Friday, the autumn of 1999 was a wild time in my life.   I posted my resume with some online job banks and began to receive e-mails and phone calls from all over the country.  At first I was hesitant to respond, because I loved Kissimmee and the students and adults I worked with so much.  But eventually, even that love began to give way to my frustration with The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named.  I began to listen to some of the offers.  The roller coaster ride was beginning.  Over the next few days I will give you a behind the scenes look at some of what I was encountering.  We shall begin with Dr. Tommy Dunbar. 

I received a phone call from Dr. Tommy Dunbar petty early in the process, and he was a very impressive man.  He served as pastor of Clear Lake UMC, just outside of Houston.  Clear Lake was a large, growing congregation in need of someone to jump start their student ministry, and Dr. Tommy Dunbar thought I was just the man for the job.  I keep referring to him as Dr. Tommy Dunbar because that was how he would identify himself each and every time he would call.  And he called a lot!  He called to "sell" me on the church.  He called to tell me about all of the NASA employees, including astronauts, who lived in the Clear Lake community.  And he called- and called- to tell me what a "perfect fit" I was for their staff and their youth ministry.  He was a great guy and a good salesman.

He was, however, working against very strong opposition.  Marilyn and I had absolutely NO inclination to move to Texas.  It seemed so far away, and Houston was even hotter than Florida in the summer.  So despite his refusal to take no for an answer, I would not schedule a trip to Clear Lake for an interview.  He continued to call, even after I had accepted a position.  I think I would have loved working Dr. Tommy Dunbar- but just not in Texas.  No matter how often he called- and he called OFTEN- our decision was already made.

And therein lies a problem.  We didn't want to go because of distance and weather.  I was so wrapped up in all of the attention and the plethora of opportunities coming my way that where God was calling me got pushed to the back-burner.  I was going to make the decision.  Dr. Tommy Dunbar clearly believed God needed me in Texas.  I never stopped to listen to God's calling at the time.  I was too busy making up my own mind.  I was beginning to let it be all about me.  And I was clueless as to how far off track I was headed.   So my search continued.

One final note to this saga:  I had moved to Illinois by the following summer, when I received a call at home.  It was Dr. Tommy Dunbar.  He had been moved from Clear Lake UMC (I was so glad not to have gone through another pastoral change) to another church in Texas, and he needed a youth pastor.  I had only been at Union Church for a couple of months, but he didn't care.  He still wanted me.  By then it was too late- for both of us.  The ride continues as New Orleans comes calling tomorrow.

Becasue of Jesus,