Monday Morning Perspective

What a great worship service yesterday. Amazing crowd that brought a lot of energy to worship! Blessed to witness the baptism of 2 adults and 2 students! Thankful to have the North Greenville University baseball team worship with us. And my husband shared a message on the state of the church which was loaded and powerful. To reflect on 2014 and even a little before and see how God has brought so much growth and blessed in so many ways is more than we could've hoped for. When we came here, we were praying and believing God for big things but, at least speaking for myself, He has totally blown my mind! And now going into 2015 with the opportunities He has brought us just makes me one big goosebump! My heart races with excitement at just the thought of what He is allowing us to be a part of and the ways we are going to be allowed to see Him work! Let 2015 be your year to find your place to connect and serve. The blessing is being involved and seeing first hand how God is working! And if your next step needs to be joining a church and planting yourself in a place where you can serve, we would love for you to join Fairview. There's plenty of places to plug in! Check out the message online, hear first hand what God has done and what's in store for us! Love my church family!!

2015 has begun

Our crowd rang in the new year at a Japanese restaurant, our fave dinner on New Year's Eve, and then a fam sleepover. Surprisingly we all kept our eyes open til after midnight. Had to fight it a few times but we made it. 

I love New Years! It's like turning the page in a brand new book that has crisp clean pages and has never been open. I love all the new possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead. We never know what lies ahead. Ill never forget that by the end of 2012 I was so ready to get that year over with even though 2013 held nothing but mystery ahead. One of my boys Michael Hux sent me the verse Deut 2:7 one morning late in 2012 that is still precious to me and got me through some ordeals. Scripture is always the answer to our anxiety, actually to all of our emotions. God proved so much then and showed us such favor and faithfulness that it's hard to do anything but trust Him as I walk into another brand new year that holds its own sense of mystery. 

I go into 2015 with anticipation and excitement of what God has in store. In some ways I'm living over my head in some areas He's called me to but I have a feeling that's where He likes me to live. It makes me trust Him more. My husband will share this Sunday a message on where we've been this past year and where we are headed. It's exciting, challenging, and overwhelming all at the same time. Favor is new and fresh and exciting as well but I'm challenged by what the new year brings for that ministry. 

My word for 2015 is MORE. I want to know Him MORE.  I want to witness Him work MORE. I want to do MORE for Him. I want to serve MORE. I want to see MORE of what He can do when I am MORE obedient, MORE trusting, MORE sold out to Him and His purpose. I want to see MORE of His glory. I'm believing Him for some big things this year. I'm believing that He can do whatever He chooses, however He chooses with whomever He chooses. I know Luke 1:45 is true that blessed is she who believes that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. I know nothing is impossible with Him. At one time I might have doubted that but I've seen too much and experienced too much to doubt Him now. 

What are you asking Him for this year? Is it of Him? Is it to glorify Him? If this is the year of His favor on your life, what are you asking Him for? Take some time to look back and see all that God has done, the times He has carried you. Then look ahead and walk in faith. Go through those open doors. Don't kick them down and don't manipulate the situation. But walk through when He opens that door. 

God has so much waiting for us. Some of it may be difficult as we begin that walk. Some may be hard. Some may cost us friends, relationships, material things. Trust me, we've lived through all of that. But He NEVER takes away without replacing it with something better. I told that to my kids all their lives and then lived it again as an adult. But it's true. He's all about our best. He is our victory our very great reward. He is a giver not a taker even when we feel that He is taking away. Don't stop and rest in your feelings. Keep moving ahead. Rest in the Truth! And the truth is that He is a God who is for us and loves us. 

A golf teacher once said to take dead aim. Aim for a specific place, a specific direction. This new year, take dead aim. Be specific in your prayers. Ask God for some specific direction. And obey Him.  He never leads us wrong. 

I'm holding tightly to Jeremiah 33:3 this year. "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." To have that I have to spend time with Him. Focusing more on my prayer life and more time in his word is a must. 

Surround yourself this year with those on the same path as you. Those who are striving to know Jesus better and follow Him. Life wasn't meant to be lived alone or in despair. We need each other. We need MORE Jesus!

Monday Morning Perspective

James 5 challenged us in the area of money. Money matters and how we spend it matters to God. Enough never seems to be enough and too often we have that mirror vision where it's all about us rather than window vision where we see out to all the opportunities we have to bless others. May God give us window vision. 

We are so often just like those James was talking to when it comes to money. We hoard stuff for ourselves displaying a selfish attitude of keep it rather than share it. We have a serious self indulgence problem as we spend everything on our parties and weddings and all things that make us happy. Interesting that 10 years after James spoke these words, Rome invaded and stole, plundered and destroyed them. 

Only 3 things stand forever: the Word of God, the kingdom of God and the people of God. 

Interesting question: who will be on your welcoming committee when you get to heaven? Thankfully since we can't take it with us, we can send it on ahead. May this be the year, 2015, that we send much on ahead!