Change and Transition

"Change is the announcement of something... - transition is walking it out."

The past two weeks have been a bit of a blur for me.  Praying, painting, sorting, cleaning, praying, packing, making trips to goodwill, crying, praying, decluttering.  You never really know how much "stuff" you have until you prepare for a move.  What we need vs. just stuff sitting around.  

The house is officially on the market!  Today the papers were signed. We are praying for a quick sale- we trust that no matter what happens, His will be done. 

We will begin to pack the trailer on December 18, and will begin our trip to Texas the day after Christmas.  Our last day at Crossroads will be Sunday, Dec. 23.

Please keep us in your prayers...some have asked what they can do, and this is the greatest need right now.  Prayers for Crossroads and all those connected, for us to all trust His plan and purposes. Prayers for comfort and peace for us and our children, and for us to stay in the center of His will.  

We so appreciate the encouragement!  God has placed so many anazing people in our paths.  We could not keep our feet going at this rate without you or your kindness.  Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

God put this in my heart the other morning - "Just believe: immediately and continually. I will do the rest!"  This has been such a blessing to me.  Hope that it is for you too :)


-Christa <3

Texas - Our new assignment

"I feel the strings that can’t ever be cut, of the Body that’s bound together by these grace veins pulsing with the one blood of the One Who let His and we are bound because we are free." 

-Ann Voskamp

Today marks the announcement of a new season in our lives.  We have heard the call of the Lord, and we will begin the transition of moving to Amarillo, Texas to pastor a church.

For those that know us, this may be a shock.  We have lived in the same area (Kevin moved from Louisiana at a very young age) and have served in the same church building for our entire Christian lives.  Virginia is all we know, all our children know.

But about 7 months ago, something began to stir within us.   We were serving and tending the flock, as Moses, and we turned aside because we saw a burning bush.  Through a great deal of prayer and discernment, the decision has been made.

We have had relationship with Gary & Carolyn Burd for about 5 years, and knew there was a deep connection at the first meeting.  But we never dreamed the the Lord had plans to tie us together so closely.

At the end of the year, we will move across the country, and begin our new adventure.  We will pastor a church called "Oakdale Grace", and are believing for revival and awakening in Amarillo.  We will pour our lives out, as we have done for the past 5 years in Petersburg.  We will follow hard after the Father's heart, stopping for the one, and loving the forgotten.  We will afflict the comfortable, as the Father has called us to.  And we will do so with the heart to please our Daddy, to show His love.

This is a bittersweet time;  we love those who God has placed around us, and have poured our blood, sweat and tears into the assignment He has given.  We believe that we have done all that He has asked of us, given all we can give, and we will finish well.  We are ever grateful for our time here, we have learned so much.  God has used all of these experiences to not only shape and mold us, but to bring healing as well.

We trust the Father - His plans are always good.  He is not finished with Crossroads, and will continue to use it as an instrument of His glory.  Greater things are yet to come!

If you should have any questions, you may contact us through email at pastorkmcbride@aol.com or mcbride1024@aol.com.  We would appreciate you prayers!

We love you and are believing for great things!

-For the least of these,
          Kevin & Christa <3 

Hold your heads high

"..I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high." 

Leviticus 26:13

Happy November!

It is November 8th, and 2 days ago our country elected a new Leader.  Many got out and voted, some for the first time, and were proud to exercise their right to do so.  Of course there are always those that don't vote, but still cast their opinions to all those who will listen.  (Pet peeve!)  

Some made their choice based off of others, based off of race, or money.  Everyone had their reason.

Lines were wrapped around buildings, some waited for hours to cast their vote.  I personally waited an hour and a half with three children in tow.

People waited to hear the results, many on the edge of their seats. And then the verdict came in, late that night.  Some were cheering, some weeping.

Hate began to rise and run rampant.  Children spouting it off, obviously repeating things they were told by their parents and those close to them.  Racism and stupidity and ignorance poured out of people, things many have fought so hard to kill.  Facebook and Twitter was overrun with fear and doubt, arguements and disputes.

So many of us, Christians too, had become guilty of putting our hope into a man.  And when he didn't win the presidency, there were those who began a gloom and doom ministry. ;)  Some of those whose candidate won, were prideful and arrogant, rubbing it in the faces of the others.

Did I hope someone would run our country that had a heart for the unborn?  For marriage and morals and ethics?  Of course.  But I did not have peace about this election, or those running.  It never felt right to me, neither party represented our Father fully.

I say this with a heavy heart - Man cannot save us, or our beloved country.  Man has plans - God has purpose.  Man has intentions and conditions - God has hope and a future.  Man has ideas - God gives creativity and true love.

Though the leaders can change, God remains, and we must remind ourselves that we are NOT of this world, if we have chosen to follow Jesus.  The mission is the same - to LOVE with His heart, and share Him with the world until He returns.  Judging and pointing and condemning those He came to save will not accomplish the mission He has given.

Love is needed more than ever before.  We pray for His mercy and grace - we pray for forgiveness that we have not acted and prayed and shared the gospel as we should have.  We repent for our sins and those of our nation.  But love LOOKS like something - and we must show the world exactly what that is.  Humility and forgiveness and ridiculous grace.

How else will they know?  How will they know that He is GOOD and His mercy endures forever?  We must pick up our cross and carry the weight He has asked.

We must DO what He's called us to, stop making excuses and reasons we are afraid and why we can't do it NOW, and stop putting it off.

He has graced you and me for what He's asked us to do.  We just have to trust Him.

He is in control. He has purpose.  And He set us free so we can be confident that He can use us to do that for others.

His ways are not our ways, but we must trust them.

<3 christa