Today’s post
is a bit more personal in nature than usual, but I’d like to share some of my
current happenings, hurdles, hopes and my heart. This is a great time to be alive.
Our middle
daughter celebrates her sixteenth year of life today. I am still not ready for our kids to grow up,
but it is happening before our eyes.
Seems like yesterday that baby Ruth was born, she took her first steps,
she split open her head and had to get stitches, was baptized, began playing
the clarinet, had her appendix out… and so much more. I am so proud of her, and my prayer is that
she and all three of our children will experiences huge blessings from God.
Psalm 127:3 NLT
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Ten days ago I returned from a mission trip to
Nicaragua with some awesome people from our church. It has been over 13 years since I have been
in Central America. I had the honor to
serve with an agency in 2000 that was building a hospital on the northern coast
of Honduras, and this trip to Nicaragua has stirred once again the love for
missions and pushing the church, the people I am blessed to serve, to go
further and to do more. Our lives change
as we see life and people from a different perspective.
Acts 1:8 NLT
But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
While I was in Nicaragua Julie and I
celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary.
These years have flown by, and we truly are blessed. Julie has brought things, experiences and
love my direction that no one else could have helped me with. She is a gift from God, and I confess that
relationships aren’t easy. But
relationships are worth fighting for, working hard through and sharing with
others. Marriage has taught me a
lot. A couple of the things that stick
for me as advise I would give others entering marriage; first, seek to be
selfless as the more you give the more you will be fulfilled, and second, fight
together with your spouse for your marriage and not against each other since we
are really on the same team. I am big
time blessed to have Julie in my live, and the next 21 and more years will be
even better.
Proverbs 18:22 NLT
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives
favor from the Lord.
There are so many pieces coming together in
relation to the vision God has given us for the church I get to serve. Some days I am simply impatient about our
move in to the new campus that we have purchased, but when I slow down and look
and listen, I continue to be amazed at the place God has us and of the future
that is ahead. This past weekend allowed
us to feed people and share the Gospel in ways that led 12 people to accept
Jesus. That is what demonstrating the
love of God to our community is all about.
I have said nothing about it to this point,
but this week is the anniversary of the beginning of The Community Fellowship
church. Yes, we have just completed
seven full years of ministry. Take a
look at what God has done and the people God has brought our way amazes me, and
it leaves me in awe and wonder of our God.
Romans 4:21 NLT
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
I am convinced that every area of our lives
are connected. We must not seek to segregate
our lives into our professional, personal or spiritual life. It really is all connected, and it is God’s
call on our lives to allow Him to slow through every part. Literally God offers us the abundant life promised
in John 10:10 as all of life is about Him.
Today I have spoken about my daughter’s
birthday, the joy of a mission trip, reality of 21 years of marriage and the
blessings of sharing ministry with others as God has given it to us. May God allow each of to see His moving and
to allow His work in and through our lives so that others will see Him and fall
deeply in love with our incredible and compassionate God!
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