May 4, 2008...7:02 am
Coming Full Circle in Life
I want to take a pause from the WVU Scandal - trust me, we will return to in short time - to talk about something personal for a moment.
Today, is a very special day in my life, the life of my family, and the life of my friends. In a few short hours, I’ll stand at the pulpit and deliver my first sermon (I may post my transcript later in the day for the North Carolina Clique) and I’m going through all the emotions as I prepare for the day. I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m cautious. And I’m overwhelmed.
And, I’ll admit, it’s an emotional day as well.
I think today marks the end of one journey in my life and the beginning of another. It’s the end of a four-year journey that took me to the depths of depression to a new hope and a new beginning through an improved relationship and walk with Christ. It’s been a long road and there are some things I would still like to get closer to God with. We are all work in progresses, as Alan Jackson would say. But, today I get to do something I never imagined possible nor did I ever dream for myself. I wanted to be a sports writer, a news hound, something with newspapers and communicating. Never in a million years did I imagine what I would end up being called to communicate was God’s word.
You want to talk about something that puts a smile on your face and humbles you that’s it.
Then a new journey begins. Monday I will begin the stretch run for a summer that will test me, excite me, energize me, and I hope challenge me. I think and honestly believe that this summer will be a test of my leadership and to see how I will be as a senior pastor somewhere someday. I’m excited and I can’t wait.
But today is a special day and I’m going to enjoy the butterflies. My family is en route from West Virginia as we type and some of my friends from school will be here as well. However, I’m not going to let it get to my head. This is about serving a gracious and loving Lord through proclamation of His word, not mine. So while it is an awesome day and a great day, this is the Lord’s day.
So what’s the sermon topic for today? The title is Time to Get in the Game and it hopes to look at how we are to prepare ourselves before we witness to others.
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