One Year On

Today is my one year anniversary on staff at Bethel Church. It has been a great year of exploration, learning and building relationships with so many amazing people. Here is a collection of things I have learned over the last year and am just starting to realize as I am in vocational ministry.

  • My wife is loving, patient and wise. Stacy has been an example for so many and the way she trusts God's provision is challenging to me. She is an amazing mother and as baby number two prepares for arrival we are set for some serious family fun.

  • I love being a father. My daughter brings me tremendous joy. The way she giggles, the way she hugs and the way she drives Mommy crazy all give me pause to thank God for such a wonderful daughter. Iona is also extremely smart so I have to keep studying so I can stay on top!

  • I am tremendously relational. I work in an environment that the norm is closed doors and quiet work. This drives me nuts. I need to talk - sometimes about something other than the task - and build relationships. I am learning to exist in this environment but it is helpful to know what best allows me to thrive.

  • I am not as smart as once thought. I still think my ideas are best but I realize that I still have a lot to learn and the Lord is providing me with a season of humbling for his glory.

  • It is easier to do ministry than explain it. As we geared up to pitch the idea of a coffee shop we spent a lot of time trying to explain how the ministry aspect was going to work. This is a difficult task when no one has a baseline to build on. In other areas as well, simply explaining the idea for something new faced tons of opposition but now that we can see the results things are a lot better.

  • We can not be scared to do what is right. When you inherit a ministry you might need to change some things and that won't make everyone happy - some might even say in public how evil you are. But if God has called you to lead, then lead. Make the decisions that need to be made and move on.

  • Being faithful is my call. God will use me how he will use me. My only duty is to be faithful to him.


There is so much more I have learned but we will save some of it for later. It has been a great year of God's faithfulness revealed and his direction confirmed. Now back to quiet work in the office!

Comments

  1. BibAugust 1, 2012 at 2:07 AM

    Bravo! Many, many people my age have not learned yet to enjoy family, appreciate their spouses, find humility a "safe" place, stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone because God has called them to - I am proud of what God is doing in and through you (even if you still love giving me a hard time!)

    ReplyDelete

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