A Fresh Start

Today I made several critical decisions all involving a fresh start. One of those is to renew myself in the labor of Faith Community Church. I am unclear if I will labor here for decades or for a few years. What I do know is this is where I am this is where I am to be faithful. This is where I live, serve, preach, teach, love, shepherd, invest, and labor.

I have spent a good deal of time in recent days re-examing my call to start this church. What seemed so absolutely clear and mandated from God at the time has become more obscure and confusing through the lenses of adversity. Regardless I renew myself to this task. I have asked God for clear confirmation but not received it other than He keeps providing for my family and this church when times get lean. I renew myself to the tasks of preaching, prayer, loving, and leading this flock.

I also renewed myself to the hope of getting a new home here in Paradise. I gave up on that dream back in the summer and quit praying about it. I have a son who will be a senior next year. He sleeps in a room with a curtain for a door. God has better for my family than that. I am not rich monetarily but in the past I have been rich in faith. In the past I have bought cars and homes on faith and it is my full ambition to do that again. I am resolved to start this prayer pursuit all over. God has better than where we live for my family. I am convinced of it. He has all the money I will ever need and standing on the promises of Ps 37:4, Heb 11:6 and I Jn 5:14-15 I intend to see this mountain moved. So I renew myself to persevere in prayer not only for my house to sell in Seminole but also for God to provide a way to get into a house here in Paradise.

There is another area I have chosen to get a fresh start in. I am not at liberty to share it at this time but suffice it to say God has stirred something in me that has been dormant for a long while. When I say a long while I am talking about a decade. This is something I am to pursue. I feel His peace about it and set my mind and heart to complete this task.

So today is a day for a fresh start in a lot of ways. It feels good. The air seems fresher. My steps seem lighter. My spirit free. My attitude is filled with hope. My faith has been renewed even I see the journey ahead as long with many trials but with God's help we will prevail.

I have not written about Faith Community Church in some time. We are not growing as much but we have been but we do have a solid group on Sunday mornings. We have the highest consistent numbers in the history of our church. We are having the largest crowds of adults on Wednesday nights we have ever had. We have nearly doubled this group as we study God's word verse by verse. We are just about to conclude our study of I Timothy this Wednesday night. We have between a dozen and two dozen children on Wednesday nights and the largest group of  teenagers I have ever personally led. I keep hammering them with God's word and they keep coming in droves. It has been amazing. We rejoice that one week ago God saved four more teenagers. Three weeks ago we celebrated the baptism of three high school boys. All glory to God.

Financially the church has struggled. Money has been very tight. Yet, God has continually provided. He has used people from all over the state of Texas to partner with us in this work. Again all the glory goes to God.

The work is not easy and the challenges remain monumental. God has been and continues to be and will always remain faithful. We persevere with Him. I find great joy in sharing His word. He continues to work through the preaching and teaching ministries. Again all glory goes to God. He sustains me, provides for me, counsels me, renews me, and strengthens me for the work. He is also the one who brought me to a place of fresh start today.

There are no heightened emotions in this decision. It is Tuesday afternoon and while praying and reading I simply made the decision to start afresh in several areas of my life. It is more of a resolve than emotions. A decision born out of necessity and determination. There is work to be done and I intend to be involved in that work. Please continue to pray with us and for us.