Here we are in December! We’re in the midst of preparing for
and celebrating Christmas. But my mind is already going toward 2017 and at the
same time, looking back and remembering 2016. This year gets a mixed review. A
lot of good things – very good things – happened in 2016…and a few not so good
things. God doesn’t promise that all will be easy. But He does promise to be
with us and see us through every experience. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the
LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (ESV). Even when we go through tough
things, even harmful things, God promises his children that He is with us, and
nothing surprises Him!
Here at Marshfield First Baptist, we have had a year of
growing stronger. “Stronger” has been our theme for the year. I pray that we
have, in fact, grown stronger; stronger prayer lives, stronger faith, stronger
families, stronger as disciples of Jesus. I believe that simply having an
overarching theme like “Stronger” has given us some greater unity and
cohesiveness. We saw several individuals choose to follow Jesus and be
baptized! They joined in on this journey with us as we follow Jesus together –
a journey where we have grown stronger. And we’re not finished growing
stronger. It’s a lifelong endeavor!
Before the beginning of the year, our ministry staff prayed
together as we planned to go on this “Stronger” journey. As we prayed, we realized
that there would be some challenges to getting stronger. In fact, the very
desire to be stronger means one has to face challenges and be pushed farther
than before, even farther than you thought you could go, or farther than you
wanted to go. We have experienced some of that. Early in the year, over a
period of about nine weeks we walked with several families in our church as
they experienced the death of loved ones. Many of those had followed Jesus for
decades and lived a full life of honoring God. One in particular was in the
prime of life, impacting many for Christ, and yet his days on earth were
suddenly over. Chris Lorenz’ funeral was one of the most uplifting worship
services I’ve ever been a part of! His testimony is still impacting people!
On a personal level, 2016 marked my third trip to Israel to
be involved in a new love: archaeological digs with a group called Associates
for Biblical Research. And in another week I’ll be back in Israel with them to
finish out the year. I love being in the land of the Bible, learning more and
seeing the archaeological evidence of what Scripture says. But ten days after
returning from Israel, I had a new and not so welcomed experience – an
unexpected and unexplained cardiac event in which my heart stopped for 48
seconds. God had me in the presence of a trained paramedic who saved my life! A
few weeks of recovery and learning to deal with stress in some new and better
ways and I feel stronger (speaking of stronger) than ever! God spoke to me
through that episode and is still teaching me about the urgency of honoring and
obeying Him with every part of life. And in June while I was recovering, my
sister and her family moved in with us as she received more cancer treatment.
They came back to the States from Canada where they had been serving the Lord. In
September Deidre went to be with the Lord. It was a painful time, but through
all of that, God has shown His great love and mercy, to my brother-in-law and
the kids, and to my family through a very strong and caring church! It is
gratifying and humbling to be on the receiving end of ministry. I am so very
thankful for Marshfield First Baptist! In the midst of these challenges, two
incredible blessings arrived in the form of our second and third grandchildren,
Theo and Liberty, who add so much joy to our growing family!
Not only does God say “I know the plans I have for you…” but
He also says, “And we know that for those who love God all
things work together for good, for those who are called according to his
purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). Being stronger means being stretched, being
challenged, and even being tired; but it also means God equips us to keep
walking with Him. He gives us the strength to do what He has created us to do! God
has an amazing way of turning weakness into strength. The Apostle Paul said it
like this: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am
strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV).
2016 has been a year of growing stronger with our church
family as we have worshipped together, studied the Word together, and served
together. Growth has also come through things we would have never chosen, but
that is really where the growth comes. We don’t get stronger without resistance
and discipline and learning to trust God through all of it! How have you grown
stronger this year?
(First published at
www.MarshfieldFirst.org)