I cannot explain what the Lord is doing in my life right now. Scripture is more alive to me than it has ever been…and the closer I get to Him the more I am realizing how small my dreams are. So…I am asking Him to fill me with His dreams…and here is what is coming to my mind.
I don’t want a good marriage—I want a GREAT one! I want to love one woman for the rest of my life—and I want us to be MORE in love next year…and the next…and the next. I don’t want to just live under the same roof and tolerate one another “for the sake of the kids.” I want to love my wife well!!! I want us to be the old couple that takes long walks, holds hands…and can’t keep their hands off of one another! AND this WILL happen…WOW…I love my wife!!!
I don’t want to raise a child...I want to make a disciple. I want Charisse to fall in love with Jesus because she sees how ‘Cretia and I love Him…and how it effects our lives. I want her to know right from wrong because she knows Scripture. I want her to pursue the dreams that God gives her. AND I want to see her children love Jesus because ‘Cretia and I set that mark in our home.
I don’t want to pastor a church…I want to be a part of a MOVEMENT! I remember sitting around at a leadership team meeting in June of 2000 and establishing goals for NewSpring. All of us agreed that if we could have 1,000 people coming by 2005 then God would have to be in that. I believe God looked at our plans that we thought were so big and thought, “WIMPS!” Since then I have discovered that God loves this church more than me and wants to see us grow more than we want to grow.
I don’t want to talk to God more…I want to listen to Him!!! I spend WAY too much time talking to God, telling Him what I want Him to do. I want to listen…to hear His voice. I want His voice to be as real to me as anything. I know that if I am going to be successful as a husband, father and leader that I need HIS direction. I want to spend more time in Scripture, seeking the mind of Christ. I say it all the time—but no one EVER screws up when they follow Christ!!!
God is stretching me right now…REALLY stretching me. I have had thoughts and ideas during the past two weeks that I have NEVER had before. I am so excited about my walk with Him, my family, and the direction of this church. I will be sharing a few of the ideas this Sunday…and the rest over the next several weeks and months.
I can’t wait to see what happens next!