Reminiscing... only for a minute

I have never really been the one to look back. In fact, I recently took a strength-finder test and it told me I am a futurist. So, this time of year brings me great joy, because the simple act of the calendar changing to a new year, in some strange way, puts me that much closer to the future. I have definite goals for 2012, and those will be revealed soon enough, but today is a time to reminisce a bit.

One year ago, I was out of a job (by my choice), had just moved into our own home after living with my parents for 6 months, and I was finally starting to move forward in life a bit. I had begun conquering a few things that held me back and, for the first time in a while, I really felt that God was for me.

Christmas 2010 was spent with my parents, my sisters, my wife and my son, and was the best one to date. My son was spoiled by all of his grandparents, and us as well, bringing home enough toys to last him a decade.

As soon as Christmas ended I began looking for a job outside of ministry for the first time in nearly 10 years. This was a tough time for me, because I know that I am made for ministry and church work. But, the whole reason I gave up my ministry job and moved was for the betterment of my family, and so, too, was the decision to go back into the workforce. I had a number of resumes sent out to churches, and nobody was biting, so I needed to do something for income.

Sometimes you just have to do something that you don’t want to do as a man, but is the right thing to do as a dad or husband. If it came down to it, and I needed to go back into retail or fast-food or and automotive job, I would have done it gladly, because my family needed that more than I needed my job fulfillment. Everyday, I am challenged to put aside my own wants and desires to fulfill those of my family.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

You get one family; multiple people, but one family. Your family is priority number one in this life. According to Jesus, there is no better way to show your family that they are loved and that they are a priority than for you to lay down your desires for theirs.

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world (money, cars, titles, promotions, cars, homes, stuff), yet forfeit his family?