2007 -- A Glance Back to Look Forward

Wow, what a year for me and my family -- lots of changes, lots of opportunities to trust God, lots of opportunities to remember what is important in life. Here are a few of my personal highlights.

January -- working my tale off to promote and pull together one of the best events I have been a part of ever (with the help of my friend Paul Knight) -- Superchick concert -- my vision of 1000+ teens in the auditrium realized

February -- opening the new addition -- seeing God provide every single detail that needed to get accomplished and then seeing people jump on board to what God is doing!

March -- Willow Creek Student Conference -- seeing a group of students get it and commit to changing the student ministry at Southridge and beyond

April -- Toronto -- yep, my favorite spring break mission trip ever -- seeing life change amidst sadness (Mindy losing her grandpa) -- Our serving, helped show the hands and feet of Jesus

May -- Seeing my man Phillip join the church and seeing some amazing things happen in his life

June -- Graduations, workcamp -- God providing help to me when I couldn't move from throwing my back out. OUCH! I am now a believer that God works through chiropractors

July -- Another AMAZING bike tirp -- my last, but the nights and days of hanging with amazing people, things I will never FORGET!

August -- Family trip to Disney World -- God gave us that gift -- man it was awesome swimming with the kids, seeing joy in their eyes, experiencing true family togetherness

September -- saying good-bye to many, many friends in MI -- the hardest part being those 60+ people and the adult volunteers that I have done life with over the last 10 years

October -- Starting in MN -- New opportunities, learning the ropes, living with 2 guys instead of my family

November -- We buy a house in MN, tons of people helping on both ends of the move and being together as a family! GREAT STUFF

December -- Jimmy the Sr. Pastor ROCKS -- Missions focused as a church -- over 300 people already committed to missions next year and a HUGE amount given on Christmas Eve to provide safe drinking water to children in Peru. THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

365 days ago I would have been overwhelmed with what I was going to be a part of this past year -- now I see how awesome God is and just how simple being obedient to Him can be. From looking at 2007 I can have courage to look at 2008 with awesome anticipation!

This year is going to be amazing!

Photos courtesy of Hannah -- I will get more updates in the near future

UPDATES ON THE HOME FRONT

Paint is 80% of the way done - carpet comes in next Tuesday -- Hopefully I can park my car in the garage by Christmas!

Is Commitment a Dirty Word?

This past Sunday I taught a message on A Christmas Story – Commitment – In our world I think commitment has gotten a bad name and for the most part because it has been poorly represented. I think most of us are scared or intimidated by commitment because either we have been burned by something or someone we have been committed to or we are afraid that we will fail in our commitment to a project or even a person. As we go into the Christmas season I would invite you to look at commitment through Ruth’s eyes – go ahead and read the book of Ruth (4 pretty easy reading chapters) – she gave an example of what true commitment is supposed to be.

1) When you commit to something you don’t do it for your own personal agenda, you put your personal agenda down for the person or the cause you are serving. Ruth basically gave up everything that was comfortable and predictable and safe to go with her mother-in-law back to Naomi’s home town. She gave up her future for her commitment to Naomi. It is tough to do, I struggle with it often, but if you don’t give up your personal agenda you will never be truly committed to the cause, program, or to the relationship – this includes our relationship with God.
2) When you commit you might not see the tangible results of your effort – hey we are instant gratification people – let’s face it, I want to see the results of my actions immediately. I want the students to change their choices immediately after I talk to them. I want to see the results of my commitment NOW, not later, because for me if I don’t see results I sometimes wander if it is worth my commitment – Ruth did not see the results of her commitment – she left her mother and father, had no food, no shelter, had to work in the field like a lowly person, not much reward there – many nights she probably say wandering what is going on, did I make the right choice.
3) When you commit to God and His Work YOU WILL ADVANCE GOD’S Kingdom! -- Rest of Ruth’s story – as a nonIsraelite she became the great grandmother of King David, and a direct descendant of Jesus – she never knew these things, never could have dreamed these things. In your commitment to God and to His Work remember that you will never know the impact you are making for HIS KINGDOM! If you commit to Him, He will use you to change the world in a HUGE WAY!

God went ALL IN when He committed His son Jesus to this earth, to live, to die, and to rise again – lets commit or recommit to God and go all in and see what HE can do through us.