Ah... So Wonderfully Content

This morning at Hope we talked about the 10th Commandment and the opportunity to choose contentment and celebrate whatever blessings God extends to us and to others. It was a terrific morning for our church family, with a lot of enthusiastic worship, tons of warm welcomes and friendship, and a fun time together in God's Word. At the conclusion of the morning, I encouraged us all to focus some attention on the wonders God has worked in our lives and cultivate a sense of gratitude and satisfaction. And as I've reflected on this topic all week, I can truly say that I am deeply satisfied and wonderfully content down to the core of my soul. Oh, sure, there are moments when my appetites are lured by the stuff of the world and when my competitive instincts are provoked; it's very easy to slip into the "I'll be happy when..." way of thinking when I lose my focus on the Kingdom. But then I find some time just to be alone with God and my thoughts, and the joy and satisfaction come flooding right back in.

A couple of blessings in particular struck me today. I am so blessed to be part of such a wonderful church family -- a community that truly understands what the love of God looks like and how to pour out that love to others. I'm convinced that our church family continues to grow not because of anything special we are doing (and certainly not because of our facilities... ha ha!) but because God is present in our midst, stirring in our hearts, and overflowing in our relationships.

I am thankful for our Worship Team that ushers us into God's presence every week. This group has truly embraced the priority of connecting people with their Creator, and are humbly offering their time and their talents week after week as a gift for each of us. There were moments in today's service when I could hear the passionate voices of our church family rising even above the Worship Team's music coming through the speakers right in front of me. I turned around and saw people surrendering themselves to the simple pleasure of delighting our Father. It was beautiful.

I am thankful for our incredible Leadership Team at Hope. What a joy to have Gavin welcome us in this morning's service and to share the latest information, and for Wade to lead our church family in a time of prayer. Our Deacons and Elders are doing a tremendous job, and I am so very proud.

I'm thankful for dozens and dozens of volunteers who pour themselves into serving God by serving others -- from hauling the trailer and setting up the equipment, to caring for little ones in the nursery, to brewing the coffee, to teaching and encouraing our children and youth, to coordinating special events, to printing and distributing materials, to facilitating Hope Groups, and so much more. At Hope we like to say that "church is not a spectator sport," and it warms my pastoral heart to see this incredible team of people giving of themselves week after week just for the pleasure of serving others.

I'm thankful for our Hope Group and the deep, trusting relationships that we've cultivated. Today was an especially powerful day as people shared their hearts in a very transparent way, and as I had an opportunity to lead our reflection on the Psalm that made such a huge impact on me during the most difficult season of my life. It was refreshing to be able to be so vulnerable and safe among such loving people.

As I looked out my back window this afternoon, I found my heart soaring with gratitude for God's leading us here to Virginia, and then for blessing us with such abundance. The glorious colors of the trees, the beautiful hillsides, the birds flying about the feeder, the deer wandering through the woods, the smell of Autumn in the air, the comforts of such a gorgeous home, and the opportunity to share it all with others... God has been so gracious and generous.

Over dinner with friends, I thanked God for bringing such terrific people into our lives. Yes, I miss so many dear folks who have blessed us along life's journey, and I would do anything to be able to share every day with great friends on opposite sides of the country. But wherever we've been and whatever we've faced, God has always brought the most special folks alongside us to laugh, cry, encourage, and challenge each other. What a blessing!

And tonight, as I kissed each of my family goodnight, I remembered once again just how blessed I am. Truly, I feel so very unworthy. But that's sort of the point, isn't it? The blessings of God aren't prizes that we win through our efforts; they're gifts of love that our Father grants to us despite our shortcomings. And all around me are reminders of his limitless love and kindness. I'm overflowing with delight this day, and I know that it only gets better as each day brings me closer to glory.