2010 will go down in my life as a year that was a game changer for me! It was a year where I experienced some of my greatest highs and also some of the lowest lows. At the end of my life I know I will remember 2010 with fond memories. Not for the landmark events that took place, but more for the incredible life lessons I learned.
So this week as I return from an eight week blogging break I want to share with you four things that will stay with me for a lifetime from 2010, and also what my 2011 plans are.
The first two days I want to share about two lows I experienced. This isn’t to hang my dirty laundry in public, but to help explain how God is working through our lives whether life is good or bad!
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If you want to be anything for God, then know that the things you fear the most will probably happen to you.
When my wife and I decided to step out on the journey to start a new church, known today as Generation Church I had three fears.
Raquel & I talked about these fears and said if all three would happen to us, we would still continue on our calling to plant a life-giving church in Harford, County, Maryland.
The three fears were:
- Not getting support and blessing of our then current church
- Being rejected by our then denomination
- Not being accepted by a certain church-planting agency
The thought of anyone of these happening let alone all three would have caused to question our God-given calling. Yet God had done a life-changing work in our lives. He had not only transformed our hearts, but had re-wired our minds and deeply affected our souls.
So when one by one our fears became a reality, the physical and emotional hell we experienced could not stop us from the life heaven had started to give us in our hearts.
Many times of questioning, doubting, crying, worrying and fighting for a chance people to actually see our hearts were in the matter of weeks silenced by that still small voice of God. In a series of moments of uncompromising love God whispered into our hearts and souls that we are his and he is ours. That all we needed in life was him.
It was in those moments I realized that if I wanted to do anything of worth for God I would have to come face to face with my greatest fears and realize that they are not to be feared. For perfect love casts out all fear, and the love of Christ experienced in the soul of His children banishes fear for good.
As I looked back on all that God restricted us from I cannot put into words how thankful I am that my fears became a reality. Had those fears not taken place I firmly believe that Generation Church would not be what is today, and on the path to where it is going. Not saying those fears were wrong, just Generation Church found definition through those low valleys where all around is a shadow of death!
So if your fear is finances, the loss of a job, loneliness, mistrust, humility or anything else then let the love of your heavenly father sink deep within your soul and know that those earthly fears have nothing on the love that is within you and the only thing you should fear is the day your soul is not touched by that love.
