2013 in Retrospect

“For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.” – Luke 1:49

One of my favorite blog postings each year is this one – the year in retrospect.  I’ve said in previous “year in retrospect”(s) that these are some of the longest blog posts all year, and that is 400% true.  Each year I try not to make them long, but when I write I am long-winded…so I’m not promising anything!  :)

Seriously, though, it is so humbling to sit and reflect on the year and see the successes, challenges, and changes that have happened and how God brought me (and us) through them all.  I love the verse that I opened this blog post with – it is from Mary’s Magnificant and I think this portion especially speaks to my feelings as we close out 2013.  “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Luke 1:49).  No matter the challenges and changes…He was, is, and will continue to be mighty and HOLY is HIS NAME!  Join me in seeing the mighty things he has done in my life this year…

What Do You Mean “No School”???!!!

This is the first year I have nothing to post about school.  How weird is that?!  Aside from a April Fool’s joke on Facebook that got out of hand (I said I was going to pursue a doctorate…and a bunch of people believed me…oops), there hasn’t been much mention of school from me this year.  You know what, though?  I miss it!  Especially writing papers….I know, I know, I’m cRaZy!  I guess that’s what keeps me on this blog – the fact I get to write and share my thoughts about things.  Writing papers in seminary, though, was a lot of fun and I miss doing that.  Well, there IS always that doctorate…. :)

Pomp and Circumstance

I heard this tune so much this spring I’m surprised I don’t hum it to this day!  Both of my sisters graduated this year!  Meredith graduated from college at Liberty University and Lauren graduated from high school in Morristown. 

Meredith graduated on my birthday in May and it wasn’t long before she was off to a summer-long internship in the heart of Washington, DC.  It was definitely a memorable experience for her (as far as living & working in the heart of the city­) and we even got to visit her the week of July 4 where we celebrated the nation’s birthday in the nation’s capital…on top of a high rise overlooking the Washington Monument & White House!  Talk about memorable!  This fall she moved back to East TN and is getting her Masters in Accountancy at UTK and has already been offered a job with an accounting firm in Atlanta when she graduates in June.  God is good!

Lauren graduated the week after Meredith and she has spent this semester and next at the local community college in town (following after her sister’s…mine…footsteps).  She even got a job with a local business in town, filing, running errands, answering phones, etc. and loves it.  Next school-year, though, she is off to Liberty University (following after her other sister’s footsteps)!  I’m excited to see how God uses her at Liberty and takes that huge heart of hers and love for those with special needs to make an impact on the world in the name of Christ.  It’s hard to believe that my baby sister is now a high-school graduate, but that’s life!

Graduations all around!

Ministry Life

If you know me, you know my heart-ministry is children’s missions.  I absolutely love teaching the kids about missions and how they can be missionaries in their own lives.  We’ve had fun learning this year about football missionaries, mission trips from our church, and we even created a Lottie Moon Christmas tree!  During the fall, I was privileged to help organize, on the FBC Morristown end, the East TN Children’s Missions Conference.  We had over 300 kids from the area come and we all enjoyed learning more about the journey our missionaries take around the world.  This year, I have heard testimonies from kids of how they have ministered to their peers in times of need and even gone on mission trips themselves!  It’s so rewarding to watch them apply what they are learning in their own lives.  I can’t wait to see how God uses them as they grow!

FBC Kids who attended the Fall Children's Missions Conference

I have also gotten more involved this year with my church’s Mobile Bus Ministry which is basically like a six-week Backyard Bible Club in the Projects area of our town.  I started off a year or so ago as music leader, which is little out of my element as I’m not exactly a leader of music.  I like to sing, but leading singing is somewhat strange for me…basically because I don’t read music.  However this year, I took on an additional responsibility as teacher for the PreK-2^nd graders.  I’ve had SO much fun planning lessons and activities around Bible stories for these little ones.  I truly believe that activities are what help drive home the lessons because those are the things that the kids will go home and talk about.  For instance, when we talked about Jonah, we went “fishing” for words in our story and we were able to remember the story of Jonah by looking at the fish we caught.  These are kids who, without possibly our intervention, will never hear the stories of Jesus & the Bible because they’re parents won’t send them to church.  Our team doesn’t take that lightly and we always strive to show them Jesus each time we come to their neighborhood.

Leading the kids at our Mobile Bus/Backyard Bible Club

Church-wide, we had a lot going on this year in terms of special events.  Our church opened the long-awaited children's building and kids are LOVING it.  We celebrated our 210 anniversary.  We remodeled our Harrell Park property and have a beautiful Pavilion.  Our Operation Christmas Child goal was surpassed exponentially...our goal of 1,000 shoeboxes shot straight up to 1,300!  Even the people at OCC headquarters were shocked when I told them!  God is just blessing FBC Morristown and it's so humbling to be a part of that.

Entrance of new Children's Building at FBC Morristown

Another area of ministry I am involved in at church is the media ministry, specifically in the area of multimedia screens.  It’s interesting to observe how strongly screens are used and depended upon within a worship service.  We’ve done so much more in that area this year and our services have really benefited from that.  Our Living Christmas Tree, Spring musical presentation, community-wide Disciple Now, and the inclusion of our new contemporary worship service – each has come with it new opportunities for screens as well as the media ministry.  This ministry is another part of my heart and I have enjoyed growing in this ministry and helping people worship through media.  I could spend a lot more time right here, but I think I’ll save those thoughts for a 2014 blog post!

Work, Work, Work

Aside from ministry-work, my job keeps me very busy.  It just so happens, though, that my job is the same place where I do my ministry work!  Yeah…makes for an interesting life, that’s for sure!  BUT, it’s work for the kingdom and for making sure our congregation is well-informed and understands what is going on.  I do the graphic design for the church-wide publications as well as prepare all the screen stuff for my volunteer-self and workers on Sunday.  While I am part-time, this job keeps me pretty busy and most of you know that because the place where you see me most often is at the church!

As far as catering, I haven’t done as much of that this year as compared to previous years as the catering company now runs the local community college’s campus café during the week.  I have, however, been a part of helping to cater various special events and weddings which are always fun.  Although, it is work, it is fun work and I really enjoy being around the people I work with.

The Legacy of “Mighty” Joe Young

“We’re not put here to stay, we’re just passin’ through!”  I can’t tell you how many times I heard my grandpa say this over my 26 years of life.  In May his health declined very quickly and in June, my sweet grandpa (or as I call him “Pa”) passed through this life into the joy of heaven.  There’s really not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him or some funny saying of his.  I miss him, but I know that I will see him again and I have all hope and trust in that.  Pa was a unique character…he definitely was a jokester and loved to laugh…and make us laugh.  He also loved his family and over his 96 years of life, watched many of his family and friends pass into heaven.  I know when he entered heaven, there was a huge group of people waiting there for him…and I’m sure the smile on his face was gigantic!   I’m so grateful for these past five/six years that he lived in the same town as my family.  He wasn’t sold on the idea initially, but I know over time he was grateful for the move too as he realized he could spend more time with us.  The memories we made these past years are so sweet and precious and I will never forget them. 

Many of you know that he and I shared a special connection in that we celebrated our birthdays together as I was born on his 70^th birthday.  Now, he and Lauren have a special connection in that on her birthday, he celebrated his heavenly birth.   How poignant it is that he was born and died on his granddaughter’s birthdays.  These will be days that we will celebrate not only our lives, but also his life & legacy and now his ETERNAL life!

Me and my grand"Pa"

Prayers, Please

As with every year, pray for me as I continue to seek God’s direction for my life.  He has great plans for me, that I know, and I await Him to reveal those plans to me. It's been exciting to watch God piece together my life so far and I can only dream of the masterpiece He has planned.

Also, we recently found out that my dad has an early-stage tumor in his small intestine.  He will have a scan soon to determine if there are any more tumors in his body and then surgery to remove the one in his small intestine.  Please pray that the scan will show nothing and, should he have to have surgery, that it will go well and the recovery will be quick.

And the Word of the Year Is…

For the past few years I have tried to encapsulate the year with a word and over the past few weeks, I have really been trying to think of a word that I would associate with this year…and a couple of days ago it came to me.  PEACE.  Throughout this past year, I have had questions and uncertainties and even loss which should cause me to go into complete meltdown and anger because to this day there are still uncertainties and questions and the loss of my grandpa as he isn’t here anymore.  But through it ALL, there has been peace.  Not peace in the form of rest & relaxation, but peace in the form of the feeling that everything is going to be okay.  That only comes from one person…Jesus.  And He promised that, “My peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).  I am so undeserving of His gift of peace, but He gives it and He loves me and He has everything under control.  I’ve just got to continue to have faith and trust and always remember that He is working everything out for my good.

I’m taking peace with me into 2014 and praying you will take it with you too.  Have a blessed 2014 and may your resolution for this New Year be what mine is every year...living each day for Jesus with a servant’s heart.