Happy New Year, Everyone!

And so, in the blink of an eye, six months have passed since my last post on Xanga. It definitely isn't for lack of things or experiences to write about, as many together in ministry with me would know, but how challenging it is to put all these things into words so that people can understand fully what I've (or we've) been through (without breaching anything said in confidence). Even so, 2008 has certainly been an eventful one for the church and frankly for practically everything else as well in this country and in the world.

Now that 2009 is here, our church kicks off a new theme and I launched it during our church service yesterday. The theme is a simple one: "Love In Action" with 1 John 3:18 as our theme verse: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." I shared with my congregation that when my senior pastor and I came up with the theme several weeks ago, I was somewhat fearful in using this unless we were absolutely careful in how we explained this to people. With a church full of busy people, the last thing I want people to take away from the year's theme was that all they needed to do to meet the goals of this year was to increase in busyness!

"Love In Action" does not mean that if we do more things then we're loving more, though certainly that can be the first blush reading of it. Our 2009 theme is rooted deeply in the theme of last year: "Transforming Life's Values." This is a Part B to a Part A; an "Episode 2" following an "Episode 1." Unless we have truly had our core values transformed by Christ and by Scripture, then we will inevitably love in the wrong manner. It's possible to love, but to act wrongly upon that love. We ought to love the way God desires us to love. It's love done "God's way." Stripping away our own selfish desires, self-centered motives; casting aside our self-limiting fears and constricting inadequacies. If it really is not about us, and all about God, then we go about loving in the way that glorifies God, change ourselves and changes those we impact. A transformative value leads to a transformative type of love.

Good stuff. And I pray we'll be able to accomplish that to the betterment of our spousal relationships, parental relationships, familial relationships, church relationships, workplace relationships, community relationships, and more. I think that's enough typing for now...If anyone knows of a better blogging site, please let me know. I'm not enthusiastic about Xanga anymore which could explain my paucity of updates. Again, thanks to all who have encouraged me both subtly and oh-so-not-subtly to update my page. You've been good friends.

God bless!