ON TURNING 60

I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day...” (Joshua 14:11, 12 ESV)

I woke up early this morning and as I was walking by a mirror in my house -I saw a poster saying "Happy 60th Birthday.   My first thought was, "Oh my, I'm really 60."

 As I made my way to my place of prayer I thought it would be appropriate to take some time and reflect about my life and the future that God has for me.

First off, I feel so blessed.  As I look back on all my life experiences - I AM SO BLESSED!  I grew up in a Christian home and by parents who loved God with all their heart.  As pastors kids - we had a front row seats to the move and presence of God and have been able to be with some of God's Generals in the Christian world.  Life was always an adventure with my dad and mom.  We were able to be with our parents in ministry and were able to grow in our own calling and relationship with The Lord.  It's interesting - all three of us kids are in full time ministry and many of our own children are serving with us in our places of ministry.

Secondly, I am so blessed with my own family.  I remember the day that I met Denise - I was singing in our church choir as a young teenage boy when I looked out on the audience and saw a new family come into the church a little late with this beautiful girl with them.  I looked at my friend and said, "I bet you I can get a date with her before you do."  I won that bet and have never looked back.  We've been married 40 years - Can you belive it?  We have 2 beautiful daughters and their husbands and children.  Our tribe has grown and it so fun to get together with everyone and laugh and encourage and just be family.

Thirdly,  I am blessed with the ministry assignments that God has given me over the years.  Denise and I started out as youth pastors at Trinity Christian Center in Lynwood California.  Wow!  What a tremendous time we had back then.  We were young with a heart to learn and to grow.  We were newly married and were both attending Bible College.  It was a great season of maturing and growing in so many facets of life.  I am still in touch with many of those who were part of that explosive ministry with young people.  It is interesting - many of those young people are now in ministry themselves.

From there we ventured into pastoring our first church in Bremerton Washington.  We started with about 30 people and watch God bring so many wonderful people into our lives.  The church grew to about 150 and the friendships that we forged back then are still a vital part of our journey even now.  I still make a pilgrimage up there every other year or so to do weddings, baby dedications, and to do ministry.  What an amazing part of our life.

After spending 6 1/2 years in Bremerton Washington we moved back El Cajon California and was at the El Cajon Foursquare Church as assistant pastors.  Although our time there was short - just over a year - it was rich.  We loved ministering to the people of El Cajon. The reason we left after a year is because we asked to pastor a church in Costa Mesa that needed a pastor.  We accepted that assignment and fell in love again with wonderful people who are still our life long friends.

We then moved back to Trinity Christian Center (which had now moved to Artesia) and begin the transition of becoming the senior pastors.  We were there for 13 years and saw an amazing move of God.  When we announced that we would be moving to Hesperia - there were a lot of tears that flowed from our hearts as we would be leaving our family - the people we had fallen so deeply in love with.

Now we are in Hesperia.  We've been here 13+ years.  All I can say is "wow!" I am so amped up for what God has done and for what God is going to do.  Again, Denise and I have fallen in love with each and every person.  Our heart has grown in capacity to love on the hundreds and hundreds of people who call New Life Chapel their home.  I feel like Caleb who said, "I might be old but I can still take that mountain!" (paraphrase).  Our BEST years are ahead.  I am humbled that the church would be packed out last night as we had our vision night for New Life Chapel.  There is an excitement in the air and I am looking forward to many more sunrises to come.  God is good!