A quick update

A banner for our church made by our good friend
Cardinal Signs in Gainesville, Florida.

I just wanted to give a quick update about our family and what is going on.  The biggest news we have is that our first worship service as Living Hope was this past Sunday (the 14th).  One of my biggest prayers was that I would be able to focus on it being a worship service and actually worship rather than focus on the details and making sure everything went off without a hitch.  Praise the Lord, I was able to do just that.  I know that many people were praying for me (and I had sent out an email asking that specific request on Saturday - and was greatly encouraged by the many quick replies saying that people were praying) and the work of the Holy Spirit was evident.

Anna by one of our signs.

It was a great service.  We had some guests, not a ton, but we did have some and we are continuing to pray for more to come.  I am beginning a sermon series through 1 Peter and am greatly enjoying my time in that book.  This week my sermon text is 1 Peter 1:3-5:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope 

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

  ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 

⁵ who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

This is an amazing text of Scripture and was actually the main thrust behind the name of our church.  It is so comforting that our hope is solid and sure.  There are so many things that we can put our hope in that are fading, that defile, that perish - but our hope as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will never fail.    Place your hope fully in Him today - let it grow as it is a living hope.  And please, continue to pray for Living Hope that we would reach many in our community who do not know the Lord and show them what a true and living hope is all about.