Psalm 136 begins... "O Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords for his steadfast love endures forever: who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever....
And then it goes on to recount the creation of the world and the many mighty acts of God throughout history. After each recounting, the psalmist usese the phrase... "for his steadfast love endures forever."
This psalm says well what I am feeling these days in relation to what God is doing at Community of Joy! It has been a long journey of ups and downs for us. Sharon and I came here in October of 1999 to a much smaller congregation with very little money, but a huge faith in God's call and a desire to join God in building a congregation that would impact our community with Christ's love. In May of 2007, God opened at door that has transformed who we are as a congregation and has made a huge impact on my life and the life of Community of Joy! In May of 2007, at a low point in our life, God provided a ministry center.... and the rest is history! "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!"
Just the other day, I was thinking, that if God had not done what he did 2 years ago, there probably would not still be a Community of Joy Church and I doubt that I would still be pastoring!
It is truly amazing to look back at who we were just 2 years ago and where we were headed and compare that to who we are now and where we are now headed! "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!"
It is good to look back at the places where we have been and especially to remember the places we encountered God so profoundly and to give thanks! It reminds us that God journey's with us and that God is faithful!
It is also good to remind ourselves that when God leads us to take a BIG step of faith, incredible things happen when we take that step. I don't know what the future holds, but I am sure that God will ask us to take many more BIG steps of faith and that when we do... amazing things will happen.
On Sunday morning in the 10:30 worship gathering, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the gifts of God and the place he has taken us. I can't imagine being any other place! Sharon and I remain commited to giving our lives away in ministry here in this place! In fact, I said to someone recently that we want to be here when we are turned out to pasture... and they joked about that being the reason, I have worked so hard to get a good stand of grass established in what was once brambles and briars! Not really, but you must admit that the new lawn of the ministry center is sure a living methaphor of what God is doing in our midst. O Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!
And then it goes on to recount the creation of the world and the many mighty acts of God throughout history. After each recounting, the psalmist usese the phrase... "for his steadfast love endures forever."
This psalm says well what I am feeling these days in relation to what God is doing at Community of Joy! It has been a long journey of ups and downs for us. Sharon and I came here in October of 1999 to a much smaller congregation with very little money, but a huge faith in God's call and a desire to join God in building a congregation that would impact our community with Christ's love. In May of 2007, God opened at door that has transformed who we are as a congregation and has made a huge impact on my life and the life of Community of Joy! In May of 2007, at a low point in our life, God provided a ministry center.... and the rest is history! "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!"
Just the other day, I was thinking, that if God had not done what he did 2 years ago, there probably would not still be a Community of Joy Church and I doubt that I would still be pastoring!
It is truly amazing to look back at who we were just 2 years ago and where we were headed and compare that to who we are now and where we are now headed! "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!"
It is good to look back at the places where we have been and especially to remember the places we encountered God so profoundly and to give thanks! It reminds us that God journey's with us and that God is faithful!
It is also good to remind ourselves that when God leads us to take a BIG step of faith, incredible things happen when we take that step. I don't know what the future holds, but I am sure that God will ask us to take many more BIG steps of faith and that when we do... amazing things will happen.
On Sunday morning in the 10:30 worship gathering, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the gifts of God and the place he has taken us. I can't imagine being any other place! Sharon and I remain commited to giving our lives away in ministry here in this place! In fact, I said to someone recently that we want to be here when we are turned out to pasture... and they joked about that being the reason, I have worked so hard to get a good stand of grass established in what was once brambles and briars! Not really, but you must admit that the new lawn of the ministry center is sure a living methaphor of what God is doing in our midst. O Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever!
The pictures tell the story of the porgression of the lot!
If you want a good read of all that God has done in the past two years... go back in my blog to May 2007 and see!
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