 Many years ago Tricia and I had the opportunity to live on a farm in Pennsylvania. We were doing so as members of ELAN, the Christian music group for whom I was druimning. Next to our house was a big timeworn barn where farm machinery and hay were kept. One hot, sticky August day I got a chance to work in that barn putting up bales of hay. I learned quick into the experience that barn work was riot part of the vision I had for my life. Wrong again, Señor! I'm back working in a barn. well, more like at the Barn, the Covenant Presbyterian Church "Barn." For those of you who have not vet heard, since January 1, 1999, I am officially on part-time staff at CPC as Director of the Center for Renewal. Tricia and I have been directing this ministry for 10 years, leading Listening in Christ retreats, and living at the Center with our faimily. We have done so as very motivated volunteer leaders. During the course of the last 10 years, Klesis has also been offering its various ministries at the CFR, filling gradually more time each week as it has grown. In the process, it became clear that doing some of that same ministry under the auspices of Covenant Presbyterian Church made sense. So, what will I be doing? My job description inclules 10 hours per week offering inner healing counseling and spiritual direction to members and attenders of the church. I have the option of delegating some of those hours to Tricia if a woman prefers to work with a female counselor. Presently, we have almost filled the 10 hours of counseling time. At this point, the remaining 10 hours are supposed to be busy with various meetings, and projects related to the spiritual life of CPC. Pastor Don and I are finding our way as we go with those 10 hours. Coming on staff appears to be a culmination of the work Jesus has done in and through Tricia and me since we returned to Covenant in 1989. He has trained us in very specific ways of ministry to individuals and groups, and we are well-fitted to the task by His grace. Opportunities abound for this work, and we are beginning to catch a sense of what the next years will hold for us here. With the CFR Support Team we are starting to look at new possibilities to extend the work we do into CPC, and draw others in. Even the CFR building is experiencing a kind of "re-tooling" as the upstairs apartment we have lived in will be expanded to include a living room area, and kitchen. Eslie will come upstairs into what is presently the "loft" area in the main bedroom. The loft will be made into two bedrooms. Alyn's room will be turned into a kitchen/dining area, and she will move into one of those two new bedrooms as well. Eslie's old bedroom downstairs will be turned back into Kit's counseling office. Dan's room will remain in tact. Tricia will continue to counsel in the room we have been using. Things will be a mess around here for a while as construction proceeds by stages into the sununer, so please bear with us.  People come to counselors for all sorts of reasons. Many wait until the pain is unbearable, or until someone forces them to go. Most of them are looking for the counselor to provide insight into how they can get past what is troubling them. More than I'd like to admit are looking for the counselor to end the pain much like an aspirin ends a headache. Even the best counseling only works when the person coming for the help is deeply committed to doing what it takes to get better. If the person is not resolved to do the work of healing, the most brilliant or anointed counselor in the world will be virtually hamstrung. A good illustration of this truth occurs when, for instance, a wile pressures her husband into joint counseling. To appease her he goes, but has no real intention of looking hard into his soul to change. His body is there in the session, but he is not. The same situation occurs when a person agrees to counseling to prove how others are the problem. Being passively dishonest, or deflecting responsibility dooms the effort to failure most of the time. With that in mind, we have put together guidelines to help people decide to work at their part of the counseling. Even if you are not engaged in counseling these principles work in any situation where you need to take a clear look at your attitudes and behavior.  1. THE DECISION TO BE WELL2. THE DECISION TO FACE PAIN3. THE DECISION TO FACE FEAR4. THE DECISION TO GIVE TIME5. THE DECISION TO WORK6. THE DECISION NOT TO BLAME OTHERS7. THE DECISION TO TRUST8. THE DECISION TO EMBRACE THE TRUTH9. THE DECISION TO FORGIVE10. THE DECISION TO LIVE A NEW LIFEYou can see from the ten decisions that need to be made that counseling is not something to be entered into lightly. The soul is complex in its make up, and when it is wounded by sin dedicated time and attention must be given to its healing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If you are considering getting help for relational, emotional, or spiritual problettts plaguing your life, take time to decide that you will, by God's grace, do what is necessary to mature and be well in Christ.  The spring looks to be busy once again with all sorts of in ministry opportunities. Please pray for us that we may glorify Christ Jesus in every word we speak and action we take in His Name. In April, we will co-lead 3 retreats at the CFR: First Congregational Church. Unionville, CT, April 9-10; St. David's Episcopal Church Men's retreat, April 16-17; CPC inquirer's retreat, April 25th. On April 11th kit will preach at Christ Presbyterian Church in Springtield, MA. On April 17th, Kit will speak on the topic of prayer to students from the University of Hartford at a Listening House retreat, a ministry of Rick and Mimi harden. On the 18th, Kit and Tricia will return to Poquonock Community Church in Poquonock, CT to teach a seminar on Intercessory prayer. Kit will also give the sermon that morning. At the end of April, 22-23, Kit will travel again to Nashville, TN to work with the counseling and support staff of Grace Ministries Tennessee. He and Ken Cope of CORE Resources will use the Playmaker Profile to teach them about their individual giftcdness and how that effects their functioning as a team. On April 26-28, Marti Scudder from tile Nashville area will come for a Learning to Listen retreat. So far, May is fairly uncluttered in terms of retreats and events. On the 7th and 8th we will offer the third Listening to God as a Gouple Seminar. There will be a CPC Work Day at the CFR, tile first weekend, as well. The month of June is wide open, but I am sure that time will fill up as has been its habit. Tricia and I continue to see a variety of men and women for counseling and spiritual direction. We seem to be ministering to an equal number of people from CPC, our home church, and from a nunlber of different churches in the area.  Faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (He. 12:1) In other words, living by faith is living as if what God says is true, is really true even if we do not experience the impact of that truth in a particular circumstance. It is living "by faith ann not by sight." (2Cor. 5:7) It is trusting "in the LORD with all your heart," and leaning "not on your own understanding," (Pr. 3:5) of a problem or situation. While the storm breaks all around you; while the heartbreak continues unabated; while the frustration grows; while the affliction worsens with no end in sight, you stand firm, or press on as if God is "an ever-present help in trouble." (Ps. 46:1) He is, you see. Another way to view it is that either your troubles and afflictions arc the Lord of your life, or Jesus is. If you resolve to live as if Jesus really is LORD in spite of what you are facing, you choose life on the maw of death. You no longer are the victim or slave of what befalls you. Another, more real reality guides your life, and YOU WILL BE FREE. That's the truth.   Reasons to Shout Praises to God!!!!
Reasons we ask you to pray for us:
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