Arkansas 2

I am sorry my blogging has been slacking.  I've been rather lazy, to be honest.  When I'm not working, I'm usually watching TV or playing video games in my nice apartment.  I've been trying to get plugged into a local church, and so far I've only found a youth group to get involved with.  I miss the Spirit-filled community of WFBC, but I'm doing what I can at RFBC.  I spent 2 weeks with the 6th grade boys, and they were cool, but they desperately needed another leader with 8th grade guys.  I jumped in with the 20+ 8th grade guys, and I've been working with them these past 2 weeks.  It's been good, but since it's only once a week I am still hurting spiritually.  I still have Scripture, and I still have the Spirit, so I'm nowhere near dead, but I'm not as vibrant as I was last year.  I know God has a purpose in bringing me out here, so I'm just taking it one day at a time.
I spent last weekend in Weatherford and Oklahoma City, OK.  I'd never been to OK before, and the parts I saw were nice.  OKC is very nice.  So far I have seen 8 of our 9 schools play basketball against each other.  I also saw one of our provisional members play last weekend.  So, technically, 9 out of 10 schools.  I'll get to see the final one tomorrow most likely.  Since I live right down the road from Arkansas Tech, I have seen most teams when they come to play Tech.  I saw SWOSU, HSU, SAU and OBU on the road.  All the rest I've seen at Tech.  I've met a lot of nice people, and I'm enjoying myself.
I got all of our teams placed in their hotels for the basketball tournament, so I get to spend the next two weeks making sure everything stays straight with that.  I'm really looking forward to our week in Bartlesville, OK.  The Bartlesville Sports Commission has been fantastic in coming alongside  us to put this event on.  After this I'll still have to work the Golf, Tennis, Softball and Baseball tournaments, so I will be kept busy.
I'm Athens-sick, but I'm surviving out here.  I spent a good chunk of my spiritual life as a spiritual loner, then God showed me what Christian community should be, now I'm back to being a loner.  I guess if you could sum up my emotions in a word it would be "longing".  Longing for what I've lost, longing for a purpose, etc.  I have a job to do, and I will do the best I can (Colossians 3:23).  I know God will not forsake me :)

For the Kingdom,
Stuart L. Kingsley