There are many other reasons I feel that this year will be a blessing. It is important to focus on blessings, because it creates gratitude in our hearts and helps us live lives of blessings toward others. &Here are a few of mine:
1. I am an adopted child of God through Jesus! I am an heir of His riches, there is no greater blessing than that!
2. Julie, my beautiful and sweet wife. She's moved here, left the house to be sold by the realtor, and blesses me by her presence in my life.
3. My children: Joseph, Emily and John. While they have returned to their work or colleges, my heart is full of the memories we had at Christmas. I'll see John late tonight in Miami, as we travel to the Orange Bowl to watch our beloved Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!
4. The Church of the Holy Apostles and each person who is a member and those who are joining. What an extraordinary congregation COTHA is! And we're growing... God is blessing us with more and more people because He is pleased with what we are doing. People are being called to COTHA because it is a place focused on Jesus, we don't have any distractions, and people are being fed by God's Word. If you are reading this but don't have a church home, I challenge and encourage you to come to COTHA and see/feel what I am talking about. I have never experienced the tangible presence of God any where like I do every time we gather! It is a profound blessing to be among you as the Rector/Lead Pastor.
My prayer for all of you is to have a wonderful week; plan on coming to church at COTHA this Sunday as we once again get blown away by God's tangible presence among us! May the blessings that God has placed in your life be celebrated today and this year!