A Look Back

Another year comes to a close. As we look back at this past year at Lord of Life, we recognize it was a year of tremendous transition and change. We said good-bye to Pastor Barry and Nancy at the beginning of this year. We implemented the Strategic Advancement Team during the summer that continues to work behind the scenes. We have touched thousands of people with the gospel of Jesus Christ through direct efforts and through the support of our many mission partners. We witnessed the downturn of our American economy, and yet God has remained faithful in providing everything we need to do his work.

The end of this year is a time to reflect. And as we look back we also evaluate. A mentor of mine recently shared that "experience is not the best teacher, evaluated experience is the best teacher. And the truth is, we often learn more from pain than the pleasure."

I for one know that I have learned many lessons in this past year. And I pray that I am a better husband, father, and pastor as a result of all these lessons learned. I pray that all the experiences of this past year as difficult as they sometimes have been will help me do more for the kingdom of God now and in the future.

I want to encourage you to take some quiet time in the next couple of days and just ask yourself a few questions:

1) What was your best day of 2008? Why?
2) What was your worst day of 2008? What can you learn from it?
3) How has God sharpened and refined me as his child?
4) If I had 2008 to do over, what would I do differently? What can I do differently in 2009?
5) If I had one prayer to pray for this coming year - what would that prayer be? What role can I play to help that prayer become a reality?

The last question may be the most telling. The last question is about priority? It is about commitment. What are the priorities that you set this year? One thing I know about priorities - if we don't let God set our priorities - someone else will. If we don't determine what is important, the world will determine it for us.

I pray you have a wonderful New Year Celebration and look forward to serving together in 2009.

Just a reminder - Carl Kerby from Answers in Genesis will be at Lord of Life on January 11. It is a great opportunity to invite a friend to church.

Also, the 20th Anniversary of Lord of Life will be celebrated on January 17 an 18th. If you are planning on coming to the dinner on the 17 you will need to RSVP at www.lolchurch.net.