SIS STEPHANIE SUBER'S MESSAGE!!!! concerning leaving Austin!!!!!!!!!

[Thad]

*** Is she making reference to AFF forum??????? ***

What a Difference a Year Makes!
December 29th, 2007
Wow! What a difference a year makes!! Here it is New Years again already! I know I haven’t talked with you in a while but I know you will forgive me. I have really been on a journey lately in the Spirit and I will eventually spill all the beans about it!

I hope all of you enjoyed the holidays with your families! I know I did. We ate and opened presents with Jon’s family on Christmas Eve then with my family on Christmas Day. What a blessing! To be able to enjoy food, family and fellowship is a great privilege! Being in Austin with my family has been a blessing I asked the Lord for a long time ago. And He granted my request.

I still remember the day we moved to Austin. We were so excited! It seemed like things were finally happening just like we had always dreamed they would! Life was slipping into place and we were where we needed to be. I just knew that I had found my sweet spot and I was about to flourish. I love Austin! Austin is my long-time sweetheart, my well-worn shoe, my favorite comfort food. Austin is a mirror that shoves back at me the person I really am. I found my groove when I came back here. Austin fits me like a glove! It was my utopia, my mecca, my heaven. It was the place I wanted to be.

Have you ever felt that way about something? You know…you say stuff like “This is IT! He is THE ONE! I know this is where I need to be, who I need to marry, the job I have to take…” And then for some reason only known by God, things don’t turn out like we thought they would. And we get mad about it.

So exactly a year later-a year after we moved here, to the day almost!-I realized that there is no heaven on this earth. There is no utopia, no mecca, no perfect place that meets all my needs. The only perfect place to be while we’re still breathing oxygen is right in the middle of God’s will! In His hands, there is peace.

The Lord started dealing with us about leaving. (Actually, He had “started dealing with” Jon several months earlier but I wouldn’t hear of it so finally God actually had to drop an atomic bomb on me to get my attention! Remember, I don’t take hints well). As you can well imagine, I was devastated! “Lord, surely you jest! This isn’t funny! You know how I feel about this place and You’re telling us to leave?” I sobbed. I was depressed. I threw things. Even though the Lord was dealing with us the same way He always had-through feelings, open and closed doors, Rhema words, and His written word-I didn’t want to hear what He had to say this time. My sensitive husband had tried for a couple of months to explain to me what he was feeling but I wouldn’t hear of it. I thought he was just being a worrier and looking at things the wrong way. But, as usual, he ended up being right.

So, in the second week of September in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, my whole world came crashing down. No, I have never had cancer or had a child or spouse die. Thank God! I know that must be the worst thing that could ever happen to a person! And I sympathize with anyone who has had to live through those tragedies. But for me, this was one of, if not the worst thing I have ever had to face.

And what’s funny is, there’s no bad guy in the situation! Everyone wants the Inside Story and keeps asking, “What happened? What went wrong? Who hurt you?” But it’s not like that at all. I’m not trying to protect anyone; I’m just telling it like it is. We are not being forced to leave. We weren’t even asked to leave(well…except by God). We are not “getting out of town” by dark with our tails tucked between our legs. I know a lot of people don’t understand that because they have never yielded to God in that way. But with us God simply says, “Go.” So we’re going.

I think it’s funny that we get criticized for following God’s voice as best as we know how. No, we definitely haven’t perfected the process. We make mistakes. We unintentionally hurt people’s feelings. We still beg and plead and whine and throw things. We still question even if we are asking for forgiveness while we do it. It’s not easy. But no one ever said walking this Gethsemane road would be easy.

For some reason, as Americans, we think we should always get things our way. We drive up, state what we want, and in five minutes or less-if we’re at Wendy’s-we get exactly what we want. And if we don’t? Somebody’s gonna get it! They’re gonna hear from me if my burger has mustard instead of mayo! Now, you may think that’s funny but isn’t it true? As Americans, we want to know:What’s in it for me? How can I make this to my advantage? I definitely don’t think that’s all bad. Our independant thinking is what has made us the great country we are.

But in God’s kingdom, things don’t work that way! It’s an upside-down kingdom. Everything is opposite of what we think it should be. I tell ya, I never knew there were so many Scriptures about me wanting my way! I think I’ve read every one of them in the last few months! I finally realize, it is not about here! It’s not about now! It’s not about finding our grooves and feeling good. It’s about His kingdom. It’s ultimately about heaven. Do you think God really cares if I found my vibe in Austin? That I thought “This is it!” or “He is the One!” or “This is the Place!” I hate to be the one to break it to you babe but God’s not real concerned about our comfort on this earth. His interest is in seeing His Kingdom Come.


**READ THIS**

That’s something that really cracks me up about people who are saying that Jon and I have “compromised.” There are literally chat rooms that are filled with pages of people discussing our morality and salvation. It’s like the Enquirer for Christians! It’s like we are some kind of abnormality because we go where God says go and leave when God says leave! Everyone’s trying to find the real scoop behind it all. They are searching for proof of some kind to implicate us in wrongdoing, trying to catch us on a bad hair day with no makeup on. Can you tell me what is wrong with that?? Yet, we are criticized and judged for doing what we feel God is leading us to do! All the while some of these people sit back in the church they know they aren’t supposed to still be at but it brings in a great paycheck and there are good schools in the town and they are comfortable in their denomination even though they really don’t believe what it teaches…Unh-huh…Who’s compromising now?


Sorry…let me get back on track…I told you I had a lot to say but I didn’t mean to say it all in one blog!! Okay friend! Pray for us! We are starting out on a new leg of our journey. New places, new faces, a lot of packing suitcases. It’s something we know how to do. Our past has prepared us for our future. We are great, walking in God’s will for our lives.

And that’s the best place in the world to be.

Talk with you soon! Peace, S

[Thad]

*** HERE"S THE LINK***


http://www.jonathansuber.com/StephsSteps/

[SoCaliUPC]

I think she is referring to why they are leaving Austin...people wondering why they are leaving. I would not necessarily think it is this forum...but it could be. I just have not seen people wondering why they are leaving, but rather...WHERE they are going to.

[Elizabeth]

Stephanie is a good writer I enjoyed reading that!

What she said about wanting things our way and looking for an utopia here on earth is really true!

As far as if she is talking about 'us'or not, I really do not know-but I agree with what she said about it if she is-

[SDG]

Good job Steph!!!!

The proverbial Suber smackdown is on ....

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Thad, you missed The Enquirer part.

[CC1]

Moving from Austin, Texas to Shreveport has got to be traumatic. God would have to appear to me in a burning bush like he did for Moses or something equally dramatic for me to do that!

Austin is one of the best places on earth. It is clean, pretty (at least where the rich people live on the West side in the "Hill Country"), has great restaurants, educational institutions, live music, arts, recreation, and a booming economy.

Shreveport is....well......Shreveport. If you have ever been there enough said.

At least the Suber's are going to some place with a big enough population that there is a lot of potential to grow a church.

[seguidordejesus]

Originally Posted by CC1

Moving from Austin, Texas to Shreveport has got to be traumatic. God would have to appear to me in a burning bush like he did for Moses or something equally dramatic for me to do that!

Austin is one of the best places on earth. It is clean, pretty (at least where the rich people live on the West side in the "Hill Country"), has great restaurants, educational institutions, live music, arts, recreation, and a booming economy.

Shreveport is....well......Shreveport. If you have ever been there enough said.

At least the Suber's are going to some place with a big enough population that there is a lot of potential to grow a church.

My sentiments exactly.

[PastorD]

yeah...Austin is the nice, pretty, new shoe. Shreveport is the well-worn, smelly shoe!

[SDG]

Originally Posted by CC1

Moving from Austin, Texas to Shreveport has got to be traumatic. God would have to appear to me in a burning bush like he did for Moses or something equally dramatic for me to do that!

Austin is one of the best places on earth. It is clean, pretty (at least where the rich people live on the West side in the "Hill Country"), has great restaurants, educational institutions, live music, arts, recreation, and a booming economy.

Shreveport is....well......Shreveport. If you have ever been there enough said.

At least the Suber's are going to some place with a big enough population that there is a lot of potential to grow a church.

Austin is beautiful country ...

One big challenge Pastor Suber will need to address....

is that the church he is going to is predominantly white ... if not all ...

I understand close to half of Shreveport's population is African-American.

If they are to grow ... than an effort to reach the whole community will need to be launched.