Last Saturday marked 30 years in ministry! I know, WOW! Some days it seems like it and other days I'm like "WhAaAaAtT"?! It's rather funny because Eddie and I had talked about it and knew it was coming up and then Saturday came and went and it slipped right by us...until Sunday when Eddie remembered. And now we are staring at another date. Tomorrow, April 1st, will be our 3rd anniversary at Fairview. We laugh that it happens to be April Fool's Day. Probably won't ever let this date slip by hahaha. But three years, really?! It's just crazy how fast time flies. It seems like we just got here and then again it seems like it's been home forever. One thing is for certain, it was a ride getting here and it's been a ride ever since.
It's pretty cool to me that we are also in the midst of Hope Week as I write this. We have been a part of some amazing ministry times over these 30 years. God has been so good to us. He's allowed us to see Him work in some unbelievable ways, but in my opinion this week has surpassed everything! And I'm so grateful that 30 years in, He's still blowing our minds!
This week has been extraordinary in several ways. I absolutely LOVE seeing our people come together under a common goal. I LOVE seeing us work shoulder to shoulder, teenager to senior adult, and all ages between. I LOVE that this week has culminated our series Life on Mission because that's what we've been about this week. We have been 300 strong this week on the field and so many more praying and giving so that this week could happen.
You see I can turn cynical as quickly as the next guy. I look around and there's hurt everywhere. We are a rebellious and stubborn people, believers and nonbelievers alike. There's tragedy daily on the news both locally and nationally. It would be so easy to pull the covers over our heads and refuse to do anything except satisfy our own selfish desires that are endless and if we are honest we all spend many of our days that way. Honestly I usually handle it by watching very little news, unlike my news junkie parents haha, and remind myself that Jesus doesn't miss anything, big hurts or little hurts, and one day He will make all things right. He's the only one who can.
I hear like you probably hear, "well one person can't make a difference" or "nothing we can really do about it" or "well you can't change everything" so we just do nothing. Those excuses are lame and they won't hold water. It's not how we are called to live. We are called to be salt and light wherever God has placed us and whatever He's called us to do. The light always shines brighter in the darkness and that's where we are called to go. And this week we as a community of believers have gone. And we have made a difference. Eddie and I believe that this could be the greatest thing that we've done as a church and the impact has the potential to be huge.
This week we have experienced a lot. We have stepped up and said we are sick and tired of Satan having his way in our city. Students have seen the darkness they never knew, or at least had never seen, in parts of their city. We have all seen that we don't have to go across the world to see hunger, evil, a lack of hope and purpose, despair, and hurt. Students have been upset by the fact that they're too young to serve in some areas and others pained and humbled by the realization of just how rich they really are. There's a younger generation who are refusing to "wait til they grow up to help", they are taking their place now. And if Jesus tarries, and I hope He doesn't much longer, we are in good hands. Our young ones know how to carry on. They know these are desperate times and that the only hope is the gospel. I'm so thankful that every generation is taking their place and doing what they can and refusing to excuse themselves.
This week we've done a lot. But we aren't done. It doesn't stop on Saturday. There's so much work to do. This week wasn't about serving for a week and then patting ourselves on the back and get on back to our routine. It's been about building relationships and bridges so that the people of this city know that Fairview is refusing to sit on their hands, cover their ears and eyes, and stay in the pew. We will be that light on the hill in our city. We will pray but we will also go. Our pastor has challenged us for weeks to be a people on mission, to go across the street, to share with one person and then another person and then another person and if we don't live out those messages, if they don't move from our head to our hearts then we will all answer for that. God holds us responsible. To whom much is given much is required.
So as tempted as I am many days to pull those covers up and just study His Word and pray, and not turn on the news, I can't, and neither can you. We have to get up, not give in to the pull of cynicism and carry on.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God
you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while
He who is coming will come and will not delay but my righteous one
will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who believe and are saved. Hebrew 10:36-39
I'm praying that we have many more years ahead to serve alongside our fairview family. I think God has so much more in store for us. My mind is blown every time I sit and ponder all that He has done in these three short years. Thank you for making our time here so special. I never cease to thank Him and be amazed by Him that He would allow us on this great journey with Him. I'm thankful for many of you who allow us in on the front lines of your lives and share your stories with us. We are so humbled and encouraged by that. I'm so thankful to my husband for his obedience to Christ. When nothing seemed right on paper, He trusted God to be bigger than all the questions and all of the uncertainties. He tuned the advice of man out and listened to the voice of God. And our entire family is grateful for that. It would take more than a blog post to tell you all of God's acts of faithfulness and how He has proven over and over He is worth following. All of the little things that have "added up", all of the big things we believed Him for but still wondered, He has fulfilled them. He has given me glory bumps (that's how a dear friend refers to goosebumps and I love it) more times than I could sit here and type for you. And every day He fills me with more passion to keep serving Him. He's so worth it. None of us will arrive in heaven wishing we had slept more or made more money or "made a name for ourself". His name is the only name that matters!!
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine according to his power that is at work within us, to Him
be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,
forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
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