Becoming Whole for What’s Next
I don’t think I have ever lived through a year like 2025.
I’ve had plenty of busy years, and I’ve walked through my share of personal challenges, but this past year has been a whole different animal. Our church is now a year removed from a massive transition—two churches becoming one. The process was hard. The weight was real. But I wouldn’t trade the results for anything.
We’ve met incredible people.
We’ve grown deeper in our collective walk with Jesus.
We’ve rallied around God’s call for our church—to be a light in our community, to share His love, and to boldly proclaim the good news.
Every year around this time, I sit down to write reflections like this, looking back while prayerfully looking ahead. And every year, without fail, I notice a pattern: God has been speaking the same thing through my sermons and Pastor Heather’s sermons, often without us realizing it until later.
This year, that theme was clear.
It was about becoming whole for what’s next.
About embracing true peace.
About confronting anxiety and stress by rediscovering the gift of Biblical Sabbath.
If I had to summarize what God has been saying to us, it would be this:
God wants us healed so we can help others find healing.
Personally, 2025 taught me a lot about myself—some things I didn’t necessarily want to learn. I became painfully aware of my tendency to be a workaholic. I realized how easily I can become physically dependent on stress and pressure just to function.
But through all of that, the greatest lesson God taught me was rooted in love:
I have nothing to prove.
And rest isn’t just allowed—it’s necessary.
When I think about 2026, I don’t think about it with exhaustion or fear. I think about it armed with what God has already taught us and aligned us for.
We saw unbelievable wins this year.
We partnered with Convoy of Hope and other churches to bless thousands of people in our community.
Our Lillies and Sparrows ministry exploded as more people stepped up to feed and clothe those in need—the numbers are staggering.
We witnessed salvations at a hip-hop concert, followed by spontaneous baptisms—a reminder that God moves whenever and however He chooses.
And we watched our campus be restored and improved far faster than we ever imagined. Who would have believed our park would be back and thriving so soon? I wouldn’t have—but God did.
As I look ahead, my heart is full of vision.
I think about the outreaches we’ll pursue.
The missions funds we’ll raise.
The intentional discipleship we’ll continue to build—and how it’s already shaping our church.
I dream of revival nights where people encounter God for the very first time.
I dream of the Holy Spirit moving so powerfully in our church that it redefines our expectations altogether.
More than anything, I want to see God’s will done here—on earth, in our church, in our city—as it is in heaven.
And I believe 2026 isn’t about striving harder.
It’s about walking forward whole, rested, obedient, and ready.
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty,” Zechariah 4:6
