Moving Forward.
I’m sure I’m not the only one grateful for 2024 to come to an end. in a lot of ways, this past year has felt very much like Dickens’ famous line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” 2024 was marked by obstacles of all kinds yet God poured out His divine provision and saw us through it all. Now, as we reflect on the past year, we’re in awe of His faithfulness.
This past year, God allowed us to be part of His plan to seek and save the lost, to meet the physical and spiritual needs of many in our community, and He answered our prayers in unexpected ways to allow us to come together at a new campus, with new members, and to partner together to build His kingdom for His glory.
2025 will bring new challenges. There’s no escaping the hardships and difficulties of this world, but greater is He that is in us, than He that is in the world. We will embrace God’s call on our church to be a light to our community and to glorify His name.
Reflecting on the sermons Heather and I shared this year, it’s clear that God has been stretching our faith. He’s been teaching us to trust Him beyond what we can see—to dream bigger, pray bolder, and believe for more than we ever thought possible. Several messages this year had the theme of waiting on the Lord and now we know why. His plans are far higher than ours.
Earlier in the year, I spoke about how it’s often not that we have a hard time following God, it’s that because we think we know where He is going we feel like it’s okay to run out ahead of Him. All that does is set us up for fatigue and failure. Thank the Lord for His word! If we stay right in God’s tracks, He will guide us to where we need to go and grant us renewed strength to see His plans fulfilled.
Looking ahead, I can’t wait to see what God will do in the coming year. With new opportunities for outreach, missions trips on the horizon, and plans for campus improvements, we’re expecting even greater things. God is moving in Augusta, and we are honored to be part of His work.
Let’s step into this next season with faith, anticipation, and unity. I believe God is just getting started, and I’m so excited to see His plans unfold.
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”
—Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)
By Pastor Phil Stanley
