Today we celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary at Lancaster Baptist Church. How the time has flown!
The past weeks have been somewhat of a reflective journey for Terrie and me. So many people have been a part of these twenty-five years, and so many special events have taken place.
The years have been full—holding more than I could have imagined when I first moved my family to a small town in the desert. I knew there would be some challenges, but as a twenty-four-year-old pastor, I was probably a bit naïve.
What have the years held? Trials? more than I expected. Sleepless nights? plenty. Challenges? they’ve been part of every building program. Heartache? it’s part of loving and shepherding people.
But that is only a fraction of the story. Overwhelmingly, these twenty-five years have been full of the goodness and blessings of God!
Together, our church has seen God do the miraculous here. We’ve seen Him save souls and change lives. We’ve seen Him make “streams in the desert” as His people have yielded to His Spirit. We’ve seen Him pour out His blessings of growth and fruitfulness. We’ve grown to know Him more, love Him better, and serve Him more fully.
Twenty-five years ago, I never could have imagined what God was going to do here on the backside of the desert. He’s filled our lives and our hearts with His blessing—and it’s all to His glory! I’m humbled by God’s goodness, and I’m so grateful for the church family He has given me to enjoy it with.
I’m thankful for this special commemorative week to remember God’s goodness. And, based on what we’ve experienced of God’s faithfulness in the past, I’m looking forward to an incredible future!
