Hello Again!

Wow, it has been awhile since my last post. Actually, about one year. It's not that I don't like to blog, it's just that it was a new thing for me last year and I never got into the swing of it. But I've decided to turn over a new leaf, so here goes. From now on, there will be at least one blog a week. That way I'm not overly ambitious nor self-defeating. I hope you enjoy these and that you'll enter the conversations from time to time.

I don't know if you've been in front of a group of people and confessed your failures or not, but I did just that recently. I preached a series of messages called Confessions of a Pastor. In the series, I shared a few areas where I felt I had failed. I spoke of my failures as a husband, a father and as a Christian. Now understand, I didn't air out any dirty laundry. But I did share enough to let people in on who I am a little more than they had ever heard before. And I must tell you, it was rather freeing to let people know that I'm not perfect and that I don't have to play the game of trying to keep up the perfect image. That's part of the beauty of the gospel though isn't it? The gospel story is about Christ, the Perfect One, redeeming the imperfect ones. The ones who fall short, the ones called sinners. And the greater beauty of the gospel is that it keeps on redeeming us. And it allows us to be who we are without playing any games. It's about admitting we are sinners. It's about letting Christ do his work of restoration and sanctification in our lives. He does the work in the heart and it transforms us. Yes, I still fail more than I care to admit but God only sees the work of his Son in my life and as far as He's concerned, I'm holy. Today, why not revel in the fact you are forgiven if you've trusted Christ and his work on the cross. And be the person you've been made to be. When you fail, admit it. But don't stay there and don't beat yourself up. Be real and stay authentic. That's what the gospel is all about!