:: Cool Moments of 2008 ::

An inaugural list of reflection and celebration on some nifty things that occurred this past year, published about 3 days too late to actually make it IN 2008 though: (in mostly chronological order)

• Beginning the year on the beautiful-beyond-description island of Kauai, relaxing and enjoying the beach, waves, sun, and Jess' family
• Skiing in Crested Butte, while experiencing "the best conditions in a decade" - meaning, not being able to see 3 feet in front of your face all the way down, followed by a warm beverage and a snow-surrounded hot tub (and of course, driving a 15-passenger van through an ice-covered mountain pass, listening to Dave Matthews' "You Might Die Trying"... classic)
  
• The moment of completion after a week of hard work, much sweat, and even a little sickness in Mayo Mopan Belize, when kids stormed their newly-built playground - the joyous laughter and mass of tiny kiddos is forever seared in my mind (also memorable - the humorously-ceremonious ribbon cutting presentation between Belmopan's mayor, the school's principal, and myself)
  
• "Officiating" (performing? doing? I don't know the right, non-pompous word) my first wedding... and four more thereafter!
• Getting to research, fully prepare, and teach a crash course in systematic theology, which consumed my thoughts from May to December, and truly deepened my appreciation, awe, and worship of God's unity, providence, and sovereignty in all things as the various points create a perfect, amazing "web"
• The moment I got to see my beautiful wife at the Houston airport, coming down the escalator after she had been in CA for 4 weeks of work.
• Selling the jeep - darn high gas prices of the summer. Then replacing it and now getting 30 mi/gallon. That's trading up, methinks.
  
• Allie and Eric's wedding - seeing my sister get married, with so many friends and family surrounding her and her new husband, was a true celebration
  
• Becoming ordained as an "official" pastor - and all the very kind affirmations from such good friends in our church body (ordaining council and otherwise)
  
• Experiencing God's beauty, majesty, and creativity by sitting on a dock in the middle of a fall-tree-surrounded lake in Fort Collins, CO, followed by a quick solo hike in the snow-flurries of Rocky Mountain National
• Amazing feedback and support from Acts 29 church planters who, after my month of hard work and several hours of interviews, were overly kind in affirming Jess and me, encouraging us to pursue our calling
  
• Sitting courtside (2 seats down from the players) at an incredible, double-overtime Mavs vs. Spurs game, after enjoying a VIP buffet, compliments of Jess's boss
• Jess and my first "solo Christmas" (which we celebrated together on Christmas Eve); the genesis of our own little family's traditions

Aaaaaahhhh... What a year! Knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above, these are just highlights amidst the many, many, many moments for which I thank God for little "shadows of his goodness and provision" through the year. Here's to another, equally-celebratory list at the end of '09!

:: A New Years' Note ::

:Happy New Year!

I wanted to send out a quick "howdy" as early as possible into 2009 to wish our university-aged students a "Happy New Year," and before they/you make their/your way back to your campus, I wanted to get a little "pastoral" for a sec, and encourage you to kick off 2009 right: among your other resolutions, commit to spending time this year focusing on God.

Whether it's praying more, using your campus organizations/relationships as places to show and share Christ, spending time in Scripture every day, or... whatever it may be, I hope you'll focus on what really matters as we move into the New Year. Jess and I will be reading through the New Testament this year (we've tried the whole Bible and, no offense to the folks who spent hours dividing it up where you read a little OT, a little NT, a little Psalms, and whatever else every day, but we'd rather focus on a smaller portion and truly "dwell" on it!).

We invite you to join us in our journey through the New Testament, and whether you do that or something else, I've included a couple of resources below. Whatever you do, make Christ a priority this year - He's the reason you exist, and as we'll discuss beginning Jan 11, He's the one thing that will leave your life "unwasted!"

:: RESOURCES FOR A SPIRITUALLY-FOCUSED '09 ::

One-Year Bible Reading Plans:

• www.oneyearbibleonline.com (the one Jess and I are using)
• www.bibleinayear.org (they email it to you every day!)
• www.ewordtoday.com/year/ (lots of options & versions)
• www.biblestudytools.net/BibleInAYear/ (chart your progress online)
• And some of the leadership of TCBC are doing one too; I don't know the link online, but you can email tedw@trinitychapelbc.org and Ted will send it your way!
  

Great resources for prayer/spiritual disciplines:

• Book: Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
• Book: Dallas Willard, Spirit of the Disciplines
• Online: John Piper (search for these titles @ www.desiringgod.org) has posted many ideas/articles on prayer/fasting, including...
• The Crazy Idea of Fasting in '09
• 9 Ways to Pray for Your Soul
• A List of Everything they Prayed in the New Testament
• 10 Reasons to Pray the Scriptures
• and a great starting post, "A Good Start on Prayer in 2009"
• Sermons: Trinity Chapel's leadership walked through spiritual disciplines in July & August 2008; listen in at www.trinitychapelbc.org/Resources/Sermons
  

Great books everyone should read (this list could easily continue, but I stopped when I hit 1 per month!):

• Don't Waste Your Life, Piper
• Desiring God, Piper
• Celebration of Discipline, Foster
• Radical Reformission, Driscoll
• The Pursuit of God, Tozer
• The Pursuit of Holiness, Bridges
• The Prodigal God, Keller
• The Screwtape Letters, Lewis
• Mere Christianity, Lewis
• Knowing God, Packer
• Stop Dating the Church, Harris
• The Bible