Start to My Blogging Career

          I have decided to start a blog for two basic reasons. First, the older I get and the more people I meet the more I want to stay connected and keep people posted on my life. Second, I hope that my blog can be a blessing to those in ministry and leadership positions. I always 'check up' on different pastor's blogs and want to learn more about their heart and vision for ministry. May this blog be an encouragement to you!

Here is an article I recently wrote for our church's Encouraging Newsletter

 

Change, that word probably has some type of feeling or emotion attached to it for you. Some individuals are hesitant of change, others are anxious; still others get excited about that word. Regardless, change is inevitable in our lives. God has designed for people to live in and through different seasons. What I have found is key during these seasons is to handle and to transition into each stage well with grace.

This past spring I took a Human Development class for my Ph.D. studies. During one of those sessions we looked at a particular theory, the Erikson Developmental Theory, and dissected each of the author’s human growth stages. The author proposed that if an individual does not transition well from one stage of growth as a child, teenager, or adult that it would impact and effect their development in all of their future growth stages. In other words, if a person was unable to transition from each stage in a healthy and wholesome manner their growth would be stunted or retarded. I wonder how many Christians get stuck in their spiritual growth development and plateau because they struggle transitioning from stage to stage and from season to season of life?

I thank God for my season of life while at First Christian Church. I will always look at my time here as extremely formative in my development as a minister and as a person. As with all of life, God has called me here for a particular season. I pray that through this transitory period it will lead to future growth in all areas in my life and at First Christian Church.

            My hope is that if you are struggling with a transition stage in life that you will see the importance of transitioning well with grace. I have always appreciated older individuals, who as they get older, do so gracefully and with a caring attitude. Change and transitions to our bodies and life are always difficult, but with God’s help we can handle change with excellence.

            Once again, {First Christian Church}, thanks for playing such a vital role in my life and in my growth and development. The caring and heartfelt response these past few weeks from so many of you has been overwhelming. I look forward to finishing well and hearing stories of God’s goodness in and through the lives of our teenagers and church family in the near and distant future. My prayer is that on our August 4^th Youth Celebration/Send Off Service that it will truly be a celebration and culmination of God’s goodness to our young people these past six years! This is not the end, just the beginning!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

¹ There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²   a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.