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“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
These verses from Isaiah 43:18-19 have been on my mind a lot lately. Not just because they are part of my #oneword2018 – – Vision, but because these verses also go along with our churches word for the year, “Walking in Newness.”
Oh boy, did God ever choose a great and yet challenging word. “Walking in Newness” sounds like a lot of fun (which it is), but in reality, it’s also a lot of work. Especially if you are a person who doesn’t like change.
Our church just completed a 21-day fast which ended on February 4th to coincide with what we believed would be the first Sunday in our new building. As a church we also have spent the last 6-weeks navigating demolition, construction, and rebuilding of the new space. All the while simultaneously, exiting (packing, tearing down, moving, etc.) and transitioning out of our existing space.
As senior pastors of the church, my husband and I had a lot of pressure to get things done, and keep moving forward no matter what obstacles arose. We had many pieces moving at one time. Thankfully, not many were dropped. If we had it our way, we would have planned more than 6-weeks to get everything done. In fact, we would have chosen for a lot of things to be different about this process, no one likes being forced to move and have others set seemingly impossible deadlines.
The church isn’t completely finished, in fact we will be working hard to finish everything else prior to Easter. However, we did get everything done in order to get our appropriate papers from the city so we could officially and legally hold meetings at the new location (which was a 3+ month process).
Through this process, I have learned many things. However, the most important, is: No matter how impossible things may seem, remember, with God ALL things are possible.
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We made it into our building, passed all the necessary portions to get the proper paperwork and we just held our first Sunday service in the new building! (Yes, and On Feb 4)
The sound worked, the video worked, all the walls were painted, the stage was mostly finished, and we had a celebration party. We celebrated the end of the 21-day fast, and of course we celebrated being in our new facility. It was fantastic, but it came at a cost. We worked tirelessly and at the edge of exhaustion through the busiest time of year (Christmas) all the way up to the end (Feb 4).
It wasn’t just us however, we had many, many people from our church help as well. Many came in on their days off to work, many came in the evenings after working a full day to work, and many spent Saturday after Saturday working to prepare the new building and it paid off! We are ever so grateful that we have a church filled with people who have a heart to serve. Almost everyone pitched in and did something to prepare the building, and then we celebrated what God had done and how far He had brought us in a short period of time.
Our church, Restoration Church, is only 14 years young, 11 of those where in the building we just left. My husband and I have been the lead pastors for a short 3 years, and while we were excited to be moving forward, we also didn’t want to forget the past. A lot of good ministry had occurred over the last 14 years. We wanted to remember the past, but not get stuck there.
God began talking to us early on about remembering the past. Honoring those who went before and their sacrifices, and honoring the amazing things God had done in that particular location. But He also cautioned us to not dwell on it. Instead, He challenged us to watch what He was doing, because it was going to be NEW! He challenged us to embrace the new and move forward.
We did just that. Our last Sunday in the old location was at the end of January, and we had a celebration! A time of remembering and honoring and then we switched gears to “Walk in Newness!”
Our eyes are ever focused on Him to see the NEW thing He is going to do in this place. We do not want to miss it! The church is not about a building by any means, the church is the people. The building is just what we utilize to facilitate the ministry God has called us to. Restoration Church is full of amazing people who are the church.
Is there something in your life that God is speaking to you about remembering and then letting it go? It’s important to let things go and not dwell on the past. Because as Isaiah tells us, if we are too busy looking back, we just might miss what God is doing now. It’s time to move forward with God.
Welcome to the ALL NEW: I’ve been Featured portion of #TuneInThursday
I am enjoying this new addition and viewing all your posts, just know I am stopping by each week, just not always commenting. It is so difficult to to pick just a few to highlight each week. I hope you are enjoying this new addition too.
Please make sure to visit the post before yours and share some comment love as well as one other post of your choice. In Order to be featured you must follow rule #2 below.
Here are the posts that caught my eye this week:
Top Clicked Post:
Joanne Viola’s post: Coffee & Jesus was this weeks most click post. I know y’all are serious about Jesus, but I think coffee is a close 2nd. LOL … Check out Joanne’s encouraging post about seeking Jesus in the morning to see why hers was the top clicked post for this week.
Here are the other posts that caught my eye this week:
Dr Michelle Bengtson’s Post: Talk Back to Anxiety really hit a chord with me this week, as I have had to remind myself several times over the last 9 months, and especially the last 6 weeks that God does indeed have this whole church move, even when I couldn’t see it. He still had it. Check out her post:
I really liked Leslie’s post: How to paint rusty furniture the right way – – Her tips and tricks will come in handy in a few short months when the rain finally stops here in the PNW to do some outdoor projects, just like adding a pop of color to my rusty outdoor furniture.
Welcome to the ALL NEW: I’ve been Featured portion of #TuneInThursday
I am enjoying this new addition and viewing all your posts, just know I am stopping by each week, just not always commenting. It is so difficult to to pick just a few to highlight each week. I hope you are enjoying this new addition too.
Please make sure to visit the post before yours and share some comment love as well as one other of your choice.
Here are the posts that caught my eye this week:
Top Clicked Post:
Here are the other posts that caught my eye this week:
Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
I have had a few people ask for a badge/button to display on your blogs. I would absolutely be honored if you would display it, or link back here in some way. Thank you!
Now let’s get this party started, feel free to link 1-3 posts:
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Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
d2htrainging.com membership site is open, I invite you to check it out today, and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, as you learn to hear Him speak to your heart.
Looking for other Great Inspirational Parties. Click Here to see where I Link-Up weekly.
Several Submissions have been featured at Blessed Transgressions, an Online Magazine:
Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be
Trusting God When it Seems Illogical
Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)
My Post “Climb Every Mountain” was featured in the August monthly link-up at : Life on Intention Link-up Party
My Posts: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year & And So Do We! & Know Your Why were featured here:
My Post: The Power of your Story was featured here:
My Post “What’s in a Name?” was featured here:
My Posts: “Will You Sit with Me?” & New Mercies Everyday & Wait for it were featured here:
My Post: “The Journey through Change” was featured here:
Again, I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:
Good Morning Debbie,
Such a surprise in coming to link up to find my post featured. Thank you for encouraging me today! It is a joy to be a part of this community. Have a great day! Blessings!
I am so very glad to have the opportunity to feature. I love you were surprised and blessed today. You have an awesome day as well and many Blessings!
I enjoyed your story today, Debbie. Glad to hear that you are in a new place, and that many helped you get there. Blessings to you!
Thanks Sarah – it is a relief to be in and the pace can slow some, I can not even imagine how we could have gotten so far if we didn’t have all the help from the congregation that we had, we have been blessed. Blessings to you as well. Thanks for linking up, I always enjoy reading your posts
Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for hosting!
Thanks Lisa, and Happy Valentines Day to you as well.
Congratulations on moving into that new building! What an exciting season for you and your church family!
Thank you Michele! It is an exciting season for us all. We are filled with expectancy for the amazing things God is going to do. Blessings to you.
Praise God for the ways that He is helping you to move forward into the NEW that He has in mind for you and your church there. I am so thankful that when God says NEW is coming, He makes a way for us to keep walking forward with Him there! Blessings to you!
Thank you Bettie! and yes, it truly is amazing how God comes through and makes things happen, especially when there wasn’t any way humanly possible to do so. He does indeed always make a way for us to keep moving forward!
Congratulations on your new building. Praying it gets done by Easter. I bet you are exhausted. I hope you take a bit of time to rest and enjoy God’s handiwork.
Thank you Maree! and thank you for the prayers to get things finished by Easter -it kind of seems overwhelming as we are exhausted and just wan to stop working for a long while… but later, we can rest later, or at least that is what we keep saying anyway. LOL Blessings to you
Thank you for hosting, Debbie! Have a fabulous day!
Thanks Jas – you have a fabulous one as well.
One of my absolute favorite hope-filled verses! How exciting for you! 🙂
Hi Debbie, Your paint brush picture is priceless. I posted for Valentine’s and add my mother’s poem also.
Thanks Rebecca – I figured if you can’t have fun with the painting, then whats the point. LOL I was soooo tired of painting and i thought I was done, so I figured it deserved a picture. I am looking forward to checking out the posts you linked up 🙂 thanks for being here.
Thank you for hosting. I linked my Sweetheart Collection, Creamy Cheesy Enchiladas and a Gluten Free Ranch Dip for the big game. I hope you enjoy them! Have a happy week! #OverTheMoon #WWBlogHop #ThursdayFavoriteThings
Thanks Marilyn, You have an awesome week too – Your recipes always have my mouth watering and me wanting to try them all out — now!
Very true. I always tell myself why God our eyes where they are and it is because he wants to look forward and not backward.
Thanks for hosting and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Great point Patrick – I love it – our eyes are in the front so we can look forward, not in the back… I love it! thanks for sharing
The main campus of our church just had their first service in a new building as well! It was a bittersweet move because of all the wonderful memories in the old building. But God is up to something new so we need to roll with him. May he bring you many new blessings in your new location, Debbie!
Oh Lisa, thank you so much and that is so exciting for you all too! And yes, I completely agree, God is up to something Big and something Good and rolling with Him is exactly where we all need to be. May your church grow and bloom big, bold and bright where you are newly planted! building upon the foundation of those wonderful memories from the old building as you move forward too!
I think it’s great that you are remembering those who have gone before and helped build what you have now – biblical, even – and rejoicing w/ you w/ all that’s new. Exhausting, for sure (hope you can relax some soon! – also, biblical…) (:
Thank you Sue. and yes, both are Biblical – even the resting – which I am so looking forward to doing even more than the few days off we had this week. 🙂 have a great weekend. It’s good to have you here today!
My husband and I are lead pastors as well! We’ve been through the process you are describing twice. What a lot of work it is! God bless you and your church in your new gathering place!
Oh wow Elizabeth, I can’t even imagine at this point doing it twice, but we are already looking ahead to 5 years when our lease is up and needing a bigger facility and talking about building – It is nice to know from someone who has walked this road before, that while it is a lot of work, we will survive. Thank you for sharing your story with me. It is encouraging. 🙂
Looking back to learn and grow are so important, but you are right, we can not get stuck there. We need to keep our focus on Jesus and moving in the direction that he want us to move!
Thank you so much for hosting,
And for linking up with #LiveLifeWell!
Blessings,
Amy
Amy, thanks for linking up and for hosting a great place for me to do so as well. Tomorrow’s post is all about not getting stuck too lol. Blessings 🙂