A 2007 Reflection

As we start another year, I want to take a moment to reflect on 2007. What a year it was! We experienced mountain tops and valleys. It seems that the mountain tops were extremely high and then the valleys were extremely low.

On April 16 as the world watched the shootings taking place at Virginia Tech, Kelly, our families and I were celebrating the birth on Abigail Rose. What a blessing and a mountain top! She has definitely brought joy to our whole family.

Shortly after the birth of Abigail, I was fired from my job as the Family Ministries Pastor due to a financial crunch at the church we were serving. This was a definite low not only for the year but also for our career in ministry. We know that the Lord never wastes an experience and as I look back on the ripple effect of this, I see it as a blessing in disguise.

1. We are now closer to family
2. We are now in an authentic church that protects their pastors
3. I have learned the true meaning of forgiveness (I will be posting my thoughts on this in he near future).
4. The Lord continues to teach me about what kind of leader, Shepard, teacher, and pastor He desires me to be and become.
5. Along with that, the Lord is also teaching me what kind of leader He does not want me to become.

It was a year of high highs and low lows for us. We are still climbing out of the valley as we enter into 2008. But, we have faith that as we continue to strive after the Lord, we will continue to prove Himself faithful and true.