Greetings in the name of Christ. This last week was truly a blessing. Pastor Tim was super generous and let me go home for a quite a few days for the holiday. So, Wednesday I drove down to Omaha to JoAnna's home. We had the whole family home, with Tim flying in to surprise the parents and Nate and the boys driving out from Colorado. It was a fun day of eating, watching football, and playing cards. Really, that's what we did for three days straight. It was a laid back, relaxing, enjoyable time spent laughing and appreciating the family the Lord has blessed us with.
Then, Saturday was my 29th birthday. I cannot believe 29 years is gone and done, but as I spent 8 hours in the car Wednesday, I took some time to thank God for every part of those 29 years. 18 years growing up in Adair - filled with so many friends, playing football and golf, working countless jobs around town, growing up in church every Sunday, being the baby of an awesome family, and loving the small town life in the heartland of the Midwest. 4 years in Seward - meeting all new people, making and building life-long friendships, joining the golf team, working building and grounds, hunting and farming with local families, and growing in both my education and faith. 3 years in St. Louis - discovering a deep passion for the ministry and the Word, growing so much in my education and faith, building a brotherhood of friends that will never end, working in almost every department on campus, working for a farmer, playing intramurals and pick-up sports, enjoying the endless entertainment options of a big city, and even maturing a little as an adult. 1 year in Brookings, South Dakota - enjoying the best vicarage I could have ever asked for, getting the opportunity to love and be loved by so, so, so many amazing people, working both with the church and the college students, getting to use what I learned at the seminary in real life, developing my preaching and teaching skills for the ministry, becoming a part of so many families I still dearly miss, wrestling with the kids every chance possible, accomplishing lots of remodeling and carpentry projects with the trustees, and falling in love with a college town that has that small town feel in a great state. 3 years field work at Hope Lutheran in Highland, Illinois - getting lots of opportunities to preach, lead liturgy, teach Bible study and grow as a seminary student, having a great relationship with an awesome mentor Pastor, being fed every Sunday, and being blessed to know the people there. 2 years at Peace In Christ in Hermantown - receiving the perfect call to an absolutely amazing church, working with and learning from an exceptional senior pastor who God has clearly worked through to build such an amazing congregation, working along side one of the best DCE's in the synod, continuing to grow as a pastor and a Christian man, building relationships with so many awesome family and friends, being blessed to own my first home, taking advantage of multiple opportunities to fish, hunt, and spend time in the woods and on the water, and loving every single day of my life where I hope to be for a long time.
The good Lord has made it clear to me over and over again, He is with me wherever I go, and He will continue to lavish His grace and love upon my life through countless blessings of people, relationships, opportunities, abilities, and simple joys of life. I love that my birthday is always right around Thanksgiving, because every year as I reflect on another year of life, it always comes down to thanking God for how awesome and amazing and wonderful He has made my life for me. I have never done anything to deserve the best life a guy could ask for, which is simply one more reminder that God's grace is just that - undeserved favor and gifts. And my 29 years has been filled to the brim and are even overflowing with God's richest grace. So, all I can do is say thank you and try to share that grace with others. Thank you Lord, thank you for everything!
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