Here Comes the Future

These past couple months have been pretty exciting around our house. We are thrilled to have both of our children back home with us for a little time. Soon they will be off on new adventures again. Our daughter will be getting married the end of March and setting up her new home with her handsome fiancé Phil. Stephen Michael will be with us for a few more months and most likely will be off on a European tour with a Christian band. Pretty excited for them both. In the meantime...A couple of their friends have taken up residence at our house too. Having "the kids" (they'll always be that to us) around has created a lot of activity and fun conversations. It is amazing how their presence has brought such fresh vision and perspectives to the atmosphere of our home. As parents it is quite rewarding to hear and see our children and their friends so engaged and excited about their unique purpose and how it fits into the Kingdom of God at large.


One of their friends, Colin, has spent his two weeks with us in a recording studio setup and run by one of the young men who has grown up in our church. They along with Stephen and his friend Rosie have created Colin's very first recording. It has truly been fun to see them spending hours on end, pulling a few all-nighters, to finish the project in time. We can feel their passion and have witnessed their dedication to walk toward the calling of God for their lives.


Listening and having conversations with Meredith and Phil about their new journey together has caused us to smile and remember our own newlywed days. Such fun we had! It has also caused me to remember warmly the early days of founding Cornerstone Church. The sky was the limit! Interestingly and gratefully I am still just as excited about what God has called us to as I ever was. Thank goodness I am a bit wiser too...at least I think I am. I am inspired, encouraged, motivated, joyful!


Having "the kids" around has served to remind me that the best is always yet to come. It has reminded me to never stop dreaming or leading or following or praying or strategizing...in other words I want to always be future and forward focused. What is God speaking now? Where is He leading me today? Who can I bring with me? 


Today's post is really about celebrating God's goodness in our lives. Watching the next generation go after God for themselves is truly the ultimate Kingdom blessing. It hasn't always been so easy to "see" what we see today...raising our kids has definitely had its "C'mon God we could use a bit of help here" moments...ahh the moments...only now can we look back and smile. Recently one of our staff, while giving announcements during service, shared how he had found out between services that one of his children had bitten someone during first service. I sat there and laughed as I looked over his shoulder at our own son standing on the platform holding his guitar ready to help lead worship with the band...he was kicked out of kids church when he was two for repeatedly biting. Ah...but in due season we are reaping the rewards. 

Don't allow yourself to get focused and stuck on where you are at currently. Look past the clouds and rain to see the small rays of sun peeking through. Know that you are sowing for the future...your own personal future and the next generation's future. Remember this, the path of the righteous grows brighter as we walk along. God always sees the best ahead for us. Let's see it too!