We Stay
We Stay.
Thank you for your prayers for our recently completed Cadence worldwide staff conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Our theme, Unhindered, the last word Luke penned in the book of Acts guided our time together. We celebrated and took courage in the truth that the gospel will not be stopped, thwarted, or hindered in its advancement around the globe.
Just as this word describes Paul’s two-year ministry in Rome, it also was a capstone and exclamation point to the entire book of Acts and the impact of the Holy Spirit and growth of the early church.
In addition to powerful messages from our guest speakers, I spoke on the four verbs in our theme verses that conclude Luke’s account in Acts 28:30- 31. He describes Paul’s ministry like this: “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
In my opening message, “We Stay,” I reminded our team of the vital ministry they have in staying strong in a military community that is in a perpetual state of transition and change. Every year on average, our staff farewell a third of their military people and their families as they PCS (Permanent Change of Station) to another location and duty assignment. Because of this constant rotation and change, our staff provide a place of stability, security, and strength to that military community.
This staying power comes with a cost, though. My four key points to this talk were that staying requires Grit (perseverance that takes the long view), Gathering (community that grows them and us), Going (love that always moves towards people), and Grieving (tenderness that mourns perpetual loss).
Our staff know the cost of giving their hearts to their people and being willing to hurt and grieve as they move away. Each of them understands well the experience of “farewell fatigue” as we often call it.
You know this reality as well. The word “transition” describes so much of life for all of us. Defined as “changing from one state or condition to another,” it seems like this is a constant reality. In our transitions there is often growth, excitement, and adventure, but there is also frequent loss, grief, and suffering.
Friends, even as I ask you to pray that our Cadence staff stay resilient amidst the ever-present transitions in their lives, so I pray for you that God would give you a spirit of perseverance as you trust Him with the change and loss in your lives as well.
Stay Strong.
David Schroeder
President
