This is birthday week in the Durham household. Our oldest, Dustin, just turned twenty-two yesterday and our next oldest, Melody, turns twenty-one in a couple of days. As I think back to the birth of all three of my children, I can still remember all the emotions, excitement, and anxiety that came over me in that wonderful moment called birth. I knew my life was changing in a different way as the addition of a child came into our family, but I could not fully realize the joy, frustration, challenges, pride, choices, conversations, and fleeting time that I would have with each one of them. And to think all of this just happened twenty-two years ago. Time flies by. With each one of my children there was a beginning point of relationship that led to a blossoming relationship that I treasure today. Along the way lots of other family members and friends built relationships with our family as well. We treasure all of those too.
As I reflect upon the new beginning that my children’s birthday represent, I cannot help but think about the new and great beginning Terri and I find ourselves in now. I have begun pastoring a small church in Arizona City, Arizona. This church is in a community of about eight thousand people on the interstate corridor between Phoenix and Tucson. It has a healthy mix of retirees and young families that commute into work and live very busy lives. Our church is averaging about thirty-five people in attendance, but the people want to see God move greatly in our church and community. They are eager and willing to serve Him and serve others. We have much work to do. With all new beginnings come new rejoicing and new challenges. This new beginning in our life is no different.
It has been exciting to walk with God through this new transition in our life. It is exciting to lead a group of people that are eager to see what new thing God has in store for them. It has been exciting to watch God work and see where He leads us next. God has blessed us so richly in our three months here and He has taught both of us to embrace change and new beginnings. (It is much more difficult for me than for my wife.) The greatest thing is that God has renewed an old promise in our hearts. Isaiah 43:18-19, “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old, Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” If a Christian is stagnant, it means there is no growth happening. What is God doing new in your life? What new challenges has He put before you? Are you looking for His work and will to be revealed in your new circumstances? Do you need to claim this promise of God today?
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