The Soft Open

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.Proverbs 24:27 ESV

Last year a new coffee shop opened in our little town. They had been selling their blend at the local high school football games, and I developed quite a taste for the stuff. When I heard they were opening an actual shop, I was thrilled.I followed their Facebook page, searched online for opening day details, and waited impatiently for the opportunity to give them my business. Until one day there was a small announcement on their social media accounts that they would be holding a "soft open" the next week.If you don't know, a soft open is when a business opens for a few days with very little fanfare, to test all their systems and train employees without the rush that would come from a full blown grand opening. It gives them a chance to make adjustments ahead of their big first impression. The credit card machine didn't work quite right, the latte wasn't quite as it should be, but I was happy enough to be there, and understood the process.Several years ago, I wrote a blog. It was at this same web address, and every weekday I would write whatever was on my mind before heading out the door for the day. At it's peak, I had around a hundred views each day, sometimes I would get notes of gratitude for a meaningful post. In those days I was a youth worker and a cab driver with dreams of writing and having my words mean something to someone along the way.Now I find myself as the lead pastor of a wonderful church in SouthWest Washington. My kids are older (I am older), my life is radically different, and I come to the keyboard again. I made a commitment to several of my friends to begin again. To blog, write articles, and eventually finish a book.What you see here is my soft open. This week the goal is to get words on the page. The visual layout may change, the tone will find it's groove, and patterns will emerge. Each day I hope to tell some of my own story, some of God's story, and connect to your story. If you find it meaningful, I hope you will subscribe and share what you like. More importantly, I hope what I write draws you nearer to the God who loves you, and in sharing my story, makes you look a little closer at your own.By His Grace,Shaun