2010 is in Sight!

2009 was a really weird year for me and many others I know.  Challenges came in all shapes and sizes and the result was a year of tough growth.  But then again, does true growth come any other way?

I know people that have lost jobs, changed careers/roles, faced financial challenges, journeyed through spiritual struggles, endured hardships, and experienced loss.  Some have come through tired and weary.  Others have been able to adjust and their resolve is stronger than ever.  Finally, a few are still facing significant challenges.

My hope is we will continue to look to Jesus for strength, guidance, and hope.  My challenge is that we as the church would bring Jesus into these situations through prayer, help, encouragement, love, and support.

My overall read on our church is that 2010 will be more than just a change in the chronological clock of our family, bu that the lessons we learned through the winter of 2009 will bring about greater fruit in the year to come.  We will enter 2010 with greater wisdom because we will enter 2010 with greater humility.  More than ever our challenges teach us of our need for Jesus and His presence in our lives.  We learn to lean on Him more, trust in Him more, and hope in Him more!

My prayer for 2010 is that we as a church would see God's goodness even in the dark times so that in the good times we may maintain perspective and our dependency on Jesus.  That we wouldn't hoard the fruit of our labour but that we would give it away (because it's all really His anyways).  That we would take great joy in coming together under Jesus' name and working together to bring God's love and goodness (through the person and presence of Jesus Christ) to our community.  That we would be people who are Spirit-filled (empowered by His Holy Spirit to be His presence on earth)... relying on the Spirit to illuminate the Scripture so that we may live healthier lives that will bring glory to God.

I am excited to continue following Jesus in this New Year, confident that as we obey Him, He will continue to prove His faithfulness, goodness, and power to save and transform!