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looking back


Proverbs 23:19 (NLT)
My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.

Looking back is something that all of us do.  There are times when we yearn for the past, or the good old days, or for something that we do enjoyed, and we must learn from our experiences of the past.  Yet we cannot let anything keep us from living life, enjoying our time and even living with great purpose.

Looking back ought to give us perspective, increase our passion, and remind us of the lessons we have learned.  There are many ways to look back.  I have spent some time this week looking back over pictures from earlier days.  Some good memories and some not so good were still very real.

45 years of life.  25 years of ministry.  22 years of marriages.  18 and half years as a parent.  15 years in Virginia.  9 and half years since the church began.  There is much to look back over.

2 Peter 1:5 (NLT)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

I have lots of conversations about faith and feelings.  Many of those conversations help me grow stronger and wiser.  God’s plan for us is to become more like Jesus and to make a difference in the world we live in and in the lives that we come in touch with.

Looking back can lead us to be depressed and stressed, or looking back can leave us encouraged and pushed to keep on.  I am excited about the future, and one of the things that reminds me of the hope and joy of the future is learning from the past.

May our lives point many to see that life is worth living and enjoying.  Spending some time looking back and make sure that it helps push forward.
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