I have been a pastor for 1 year, and what a year it has been. Full of lessons, steps of faith, mistakes, victories, disappointments, laughter, absolute excitement etc… but what year isn’t like that? I have much to learn!

I will never forget leading a young man to the Lord when we first moved to Kentwood MI. He was a sponge soaking in the pure truths of God’s Word and slowly dispelling the toxic sludge accumulated over the years. Boy was he excited. I began discipleship with him once a week and it was a blast. This is what God called me to do! To make a long blog short, I showed up to the office one early morning before the sun was up, trucking through the freshly layered powder of snow and fumbling through my keys to open the church. There lay a plastic bag gently against the door. I brought it inside thinking it was a little gift for the new pastor! I looked inside and found every book, including the discipleship material I gave this man with a note that simply said “please do not contact me”. That was hard to swallow! What did I do wrong?

I could blog all day long about the countless others who are soaking in the truth and are still walking in it! The tears that overwhelm me even right now just thinking of the families, singles, teens, kids etc… that are growing in grace is overwhelming since that plastic bag! More bags are coming too!

OK SO WHAT’S THE POINT? . Romans 8:28 All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to HIS PURPOSE. 

Last time I checked God is still good at using every disappointment, every victory, every joy, every sadness to work together for good! HIS GOOD! This is God’s ministry, not mine! He died for it, not me!

Do you like cake? I do! A little too much! My wife says tone it down there big boy!

Let me ask you! Would you eat flour by itself? A raw egg? How about a swig of oil? Some of you wouldn’t mind eating 2 cups of sugar. How about a mouthful of cake batter? I didn’t think so. You see, individually they are disgusting and distasteful, but mixed together and with a little heat applied you can make something beautiful for all to enjoy!

God is taking  all the good, the bad the ugly and mixing it all together to make a beautiful ministry!

• Joy in ministry does not come from the absence of the bad and the presence of good, but by the stirring of everything God gives you and molding a ministry that pleases HIM! Could you be happy with what God Creates? Or does it have to fit your MOLD! 
• The icing on the cake is a peace and joy that passes all understanding!

Every time you see joy mentioned in the Bible it is given in the midst of a trial! Crazy Huh? Nope, thats just called the presence of God! You should try it some time!