What one year has taught me.

This past Sunday, we celebrated our 1 year anniversary for Providence church. Starting a church is like sailing those one man sailboats across the ocean. There's much fanfare when you cast off from shore hoping to make it to the other side, but few make it. The highs and lows of church planting are extreme. There's nothing like the feeling of seeing that first person come to know the Lord, but there's also nothing like losing a family or seeing someone walk away from God. Both feelings are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, but they will be experienced by all church planters and pastors.

As I've ridden the waves this year God has taught me some important lessons. First, His timing is perfect. We've developed a saying at Providence: "Our Plan B is God's Plan A". To me that sums up a lot of life. We have our expectations and dreams of how God should do things and when He doesn't meet up to our plans we start having a crisis of faith. But I've learned and continue to learn that when God rearranges my expectations, the end results are always better. Secondly, the need is great. Even in the southern-gospel singin', church goin', religious talkin' bible-belt, there are a whole lot of people that have no idea what the gospel means and how to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It's driven me to be more passionate in my commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus.

I'm humbled that God has called me. To God alone be the glory and honor and praise!!!!! I love you Jesus.