Happy Birthday Blessed Hope Community Church!
Today you are 7 years old already! Wow! Where has the time gone??? Whoever said "the first five years of a church plant are about growing the senior pastor, and the next five are about growing the church," was totally right on!
Today I've been thinking much about how much BHCC has grown, but I also think HOW MUCH I have grown! I have learned a lot, made a ton of mistakes, and God has grown the church despite it (and us) all!
It's ironic that I received a phone call today from a church-planting woman down in Texas. She and her husband are about to start a church and she's looking for advice. I'm honored to be asked! I think one of the best things I could say to her is. "Just remember, nothing is as bad as it seems, and nothing is as good as it seems! But you are definitely in for one heck of a roller coaster ride!"
I think I could honestly say, it's been the worst 7 years of my life, AND... it's been the absolute BEST 7 years of my life!!!
It's been incredibly intense, that's for sure! I'm very glad I didn't know how HARD it would be but I do wish I had stopped more often to enjoy the journey along the way!
But then again, the biggest thing I've learned is IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!!! (Well actually, I'm still learning it again and again! :-)
It is all about God and His incredible family that He is building on earth! I've learned how passionately in love He is with His children! He loves us exactly as we are and He loves us too much to let us stay that way. But in the meantime, it does get messy!
We're all in the process of transforming into what He has created us to become. We're all in different places in our journey with Him. And you put that all together and yah, that looks a bit messy at times.
But there's something else too! Something absolutely amazing!!! The something amazing is how God keeps showing up and working miracle after miracle. Right here in the midst of us, HE IS HERE! You can see the result of it, you can feel it, and you can definitely experience it!!!
Miracle after miracle, that's what each person has inside of them! Emmanuel, God is with US!
I truly feel sorry for anyone who doesn't know what it's like to be a part of the Body of Christ. They have no idea what they are missing. Once you've experienced it, you will never ever be the same!
Thanks be to God for all you have done in and through BHCC these last 7 years! I know the next 7 will be even more fruitful & exciting! I can't imagine doing anything else in life! Thank you LORD, for every day you keep letting me do this!
Happy 7th birthday BHCC!!!!!!!!!!!