Beginning Again

I love Spring. I love seeing the vibrant greens overtake the somber browns and grays of Winter. I love to hear the sounds of life breaking the silence of cold. The weather is not too harsh in either direction and each new day sounds forth the exuberant feeling of opportunity.

Nature is not the only realm that is beaming with activity. My life has been a whirlwind of motion in 2013. We welcomed the birth of our twins, M&M, and all the struggles and joys that come along with having six children. God has been so gracious to us, strengthening us when we have been weak (which has been often), supplying every need (which have been many) and allowing us to see His goodness in the gifts He has given us (which have been overwhelming). I am eager to see what He will do in us and through us this year, praying and knowing that whatever it may be, it will be to the glory of His marvelous grace.

In addition to the expanding of my familial boundaries, God, in His good pleasure, has seen fit to honor my desire to be used for His glory through the preaching and teaching of His Word, and has moved on a wonderful congregation of believers to call me as their pastor. This past Sunday, I was honored to preach my first sermon as the pastor of SweetWater Baptist Church, in Waycross, Georgia. Amidst the pressures, questions and uncertainty of taking on the tremendous responsibility of shepherding people's souls, there has been an exceeding peace that this is one of the things I was created to do. I am not speaking of an abundance of ability on my part, but an assurance that God has gifted me and that He is with me so long as I remain in Him. I lean wholly on His grace and power and look forward expectantly at what I believe He will do in a people who have given themselves over to His headship.

So it is a new beginning with this blog as well. I've set out to regularly blog a few, or maybe several, times before, but each time found myself giving up because the effort greatly exceeded the response. God has recently shown me that my motives are way off course if I measure my success in writing by how many pageviews or comments I receive. So I'm beginning again with a renewed purpose and focus: to please and be pleased in my audience of One. Soli Deo Gloria!