Thoughts for 2013

It doesn't seem like it was all the way back in November the last time I wrote anything for the blog.  I guess the Christmas season was busier than I thought.  Not only that, but as a church planter it had its ups and downs.  As with any young church when families travel you tend to feel their absence, but when multiple families are gone for the holidays visiting family and friends you can really feel it.  I was actually quite glad to get back to a more "normal" week this past Sunday.

As we begin 2013 I am hopeful for what the Lord has in store for our family and for Living Hope.  As you know we have had a foster child in our home since September and he really has become a treasured part of our family.  There are some significant steps that will happen in the next few months that will determine whether or not he will be able to stay with our family...we would appreciate your prayers.

Reflecting on this past year and looking forward, I truly want 2013 to be a year of significant growth.  First, I want our family to grow together.  I want Erin and I to grow in our relationship.  That even through the stress and craziness of life as we church plant that we would fall more in love each day.  I am so blessed to have her in my life and I want to take full advantage of all opportunities to grow together and to show my love for her.  In particular I want to do a better job of communicating and sharing my feelings (besides hungry and tired) with her.  I also want our kids to grow.  Both Reed and Meredith are expressing more and more desire to take communion and so we are going through a family devotional about what it means to be a disciple of Christ.  The past few days have been really enjoyable and it's great when your 8 and 6 year old are reading the Scripture passages themselves.  Pray for them in this.  Pray for Anna to continue to grow - I can't believe she just turned 4!  Pray as well for our foster son and that we would be able to take away the qualifier of "foster" this year.  I am so blessed by my family and I want this to be a great year of growth for us.  I want us always to leave no doubt that we are 100% for each other!

Second, I want the church to grow.  Much of my role as a pastor is to equip those in the church for the work of the ministry.  I am to teach and model and lead the people into the enjoyment of God for the glory of God.  I am to teach them all the things that Christ has taught.  To adequately do this - I need to be growing in my relationship with God and experiencing greater and greater joy.  I have once again taken on Robert Murray M'Cheyne's reading plan to get through the Bible in a year.  This will be probably the fifth or sixth time following this plan and also using D.A. Carson's excellent devotional companions:  For the Love of God - volumes 1 & 2.  Please pray that this would not be something that I am doing just because it's good, or so I can check something else off my list, but that it would be wonderful fuel for my soul.

Third, I want us to expand our influence as a church.  We have a great relationship with the school in which we worship, but we want to be able to serve in greater ways.  We want to reach some of the thousands who do not know the Lord.  I am planning and praying through different areas of our ministry plan and would appreciate you praying for that.  Also, pray that as a church we would be creative and faith-filled in all we undertake.  

There is definitely more that I could write, (wanting to find musicians for example) but for now this is it.  Perhaps in a few days I will put up some more detailed thoughts and plans for this year.  What are your thoughts/plans for 2013?