What a year

Walls of Jerusalem in January.

What a glorious year we’ve had, Mary and I. It’s been filled with ups and downs, like all years, but I must tell you that I’ve been filled with the absolute belief that I have become true friends with so many of you in the past year that I am humbled and amazed. We’ve grown closer in a way I never thought I could again after leaving my home church five years ago against my will.


This year I’ve found a full-time ministry and though you could argue its merits, I only know that I’ve worked as hard as I can to be the kind of minister both these churches deserve because of the good people they have in them.

Mary and I have lost two pets to death this year, but we’ve gained in so many other ways: We went to Israel in a true trip of a lifetime. We went to a spiritual retreat and were renewed wonderfully. I finished a book and some wonderful friends and believers in my writing are having it published in the coming year. I pray not for fortune but for someone, maybe just one person, to read it and figure out that they're being called by God and for them to answer that call. I found my true calling, I believe, in prison ministry.

We saw our youngest daughter married and we saved an abused pooch who still is shockingly scared of me. We welcomed new grandchildren into our midst and were blessed in that regard. We lost our favorite television show of all time. Oh, and there was that little Super bowl thingee.

Bottom line is God has walked with us each step of the way. What I’ve found over time is that though I tend to look to the worst in things, God picks me up and dusts me off and sends me looking toward Jesus, which is the absolute best of things.

That was this kind of year. Tears of sadness and tears of joy. Days of victory and days of defeat. Weeks of nothingness, and weeks of a true walk with God.

All in all, a typical great year with God.

Thanks to all who have joined us on this crazy walk with the Lord. Mary and I appreciate it and look forward to the next year for what God will bring.

This blog has existed five times a week for more than a year. I pray it touches someone as I walk with God the best a person of my lack of character can. I heard something last night that really spoke to me. I share it now.

This time of the year we speak a lot about naughty and nice lists. I'm probably more naughty than most, though I don't really wish to be.

But it's not about performance. Jesus comes to us and says, "I know you are who you are, I know your heart, and I love you anyway. I'll be the good one. You be in me, and I in you, and we'll walk this difficult path together."

That's enough today. That's been enough this year. That will be enough in the coming year.