The month of November is here and it marks exactly one year since I started at NCFC. Not only that but this past Monday, my wife and I, celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. We also celebrated Andrew’s first birthday yesterday. So November will always be a special month for me. How appropriate that Thanksgiving is also in November. So the three things I love most (God, family, food) are all in this month.
I shared this at the Back to School night for VA Timothy in September, but I really felt like a redshirt freshman this past year. In college football, usually the freshmen take the first season to learn instead of play. They study the play book and watch how the other players execute. Then they start to play in their second year. I could relate to them because I was busy trying to learn the NCFC way of doing things and getting to know the people this past year. This is not to say that there was nothing going on. I believe there has been progress for Timothy. We’re moving in the right direction and I’m looking forward to this next year.
I’m also thankful to have such great pastors to learn from. Seeing how they do ministry and handle different situations that come up has really stretched me as a leader. It made me widen my focus so that I can see how the different ministries work together to better the church and give God the glory. God showed me how important it is to see the big picture and take a step back to see the direction that God is leading rather than being so focused at the task at hand.
As a second year husband, I have to admit that there’s room for improvement. I do have a little bit better understanding of what it means to be a godly husband compared to year one. God has been showing me what it means to be the spiritual leader of the household. He’s been showing me what it means to love my wife as Christ loves the church. I thank God every day for giving me a wife who loves and supports me despite my weaknesses and shortcomings.
As a first year father, I can say that I truly love my son; no matter how many surprises he has left for me in his diaper or the countless sleepless nights. It brings me great joy to see him grow and do new things as his brain is developing. Right now he knows to wave good bye when I leave the house. He should be walking soon as he’s been getting good at standing and balancing himself. The time that I cherish most with him is when I’m trying to put him to sleep. There’s something really intimate about being in a quiet dark room as I pace back and forth with him in my arms. He rests his head on my shoulder and drifts off to sleep while I pray for him. Then I lay him down and put the blanket over him. Just seeing how peaceful he looks puts a smile on my face.
As I reflect upon this past year, I am thankful for God’s faithfulness. What an awesome God we serve! I’m reminded of what it says in Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Getting to this point in my life hasn’t been an easy road. There have been many bumps along the way, but God has been faithful. Each and every bump was used to stretch me and shape me. What a great ride it’s been so far. I look towards year two with great anticipation. I look towards His faithfulness.
From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
November 8, 2015