Pastor Randy Hoskins

​Senior Pastor - First Congregational, Ashland, NE

 February 26, 2021

​I went and helped a friend move this week. He and I were the backbone of our "moving team" at my old church in Lincoln. We had a young congregation that moved a lot, and I would estimate that we've been involved in well over 50 moves in the last 10-15 years. As a result, I knew that his move would be well-organized and ready to go, and I was not disappointed. I was also glad to see that he had hired professionals to come in and move the really heavy stuff, just like we did when we moved to the parsonage.

As we were hauling and packing stuff, we got to talking about some of the "horror" moves we were part of. Moves where we'd arrive and nothing was packed or boxed. A move where the family had already started, but they had packed the living room into the truck like they were going to be living there, not packing stuff in tightly so it wouldn't move/get damaged. Moving a family from a sprawling ranch home to a tiny crackerbox, but they insisted on moving everything from the old place to the new. We racked and stacked stuff so tightly in their basement you could barely get through the passages that were left.

I can't help but think of the similarities that people have between these moves and the final move we will all make someday, when we leave this earth. Some people will be caught unaware, thinking they have plenty of time to get ready. Some people won't have a clue as to what they needed to do to prepare. (Hint: that is our job to lead them to the information that they need to know!)  Some people are so caught up in the things of this world that they don't have the space to fit Jesus into their already packed lives. Those people who are really on top of things know that they can turn the really heavy things in their lives over to their Savior and not have to worry about them any longer.

Where do you find yourself today? If you were called to a new heavenly address today, will you be found ready to go?



Pastor Randy 402-450-4447

PASTOR RANDY HOSKINS

After serving as part-time pastor, Pastor Randy was called to full-time ministry in February of 2020.
​He and Velvet now live in Ashland.