James 4:14
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
I turned 47 years old in 2012 and I understand better than ever what James is saying.
I am the pastor of a growing church, the husband of a wonderful wife, the father of three awesome children, and the grandfather of two of the greatest children in the world. I am a blessed man.
I Fasted the first 40 days of 2012.
I did much better with taking Sabbath in 2012.
I watched as our Hillsville Youth led worship at Resurrection before thousands in 2012.
I ran 1360 miles in 2012.
I trained a lot of miles to run a Marathon that I didn’t get to run. (sad)
I ran the Atlanta Half Marathon in 1:47, loved it.
I read 80 books in 2012.
I posted to the blog 299 times and the blog was viewed 41,000 times in 2012.
I preached 120 times in 2012.
I preached a few revivals and two camp meetings.
I baptized several people in 2012, one of my favorite parts of ministry.
I officiated a few funerals and a few weddings.
I attended Ministers Convocation @ Lake Junaluska.
I traveled thousands of miles, mostly for ministry.
The family spent a day and night @ Dollywood. So much fun!
We started Wednesday Night Bible Study.
I attended March Forth for Children in Knoxville.
I attended and led The Holston Evangelism Conference in Knoxville
I experienced Exponential in Orlando.
I started serving on The Board Of Ordained Ministry for Wytheville UMC in 2012
I went on a week-long mission trip with our youth to Alabama.
The family vacationed a week @ Cherry Grove Beach. One of my favorite places.
I attended Annual Conference @ Lake Junaluska with the Family.
I made a lot of new friends and reconnected with some old ones in 2012.
The family spent 4 days in Pigeon Forge @ a Great Camp Ground, Loved it.
I have tried to answer a lot of WHY questions this year. So many are hurting.
I had a couple more places removed and tested for skin cancer, both were negative.I saw two great movies in 2012, Courageous and Avengers.
The family spent Labor Day Weekend in the Mountains of West Va, 4 Wheeling, it was awesome!
I read The Hunger Games Series and loved it.
I attended Catalyst in Atlanta and will never be the same.
I bought a new car in February and already 21,000 miles.
We spent a lot of time as a family around the fire pit, just talking, laughing, and eating, as a family and lots of friends.
Yes it was a busy year and maybe more busy than God ever intended for us to be but it is the pace of the world we live in. A lot was accomplished, a lot of memories were made and a lot of work was started that is now in progress. Matter of fact, I could fill a book with all that happened in 2012.
But 2012 is behind us, 2013 is before us, what will we do in 2013 that will have a lasting impact?
I will continue to run as long as my health allows it, it is my strength building exercise. It is where I de-stress, it is where I pray, it is where I fellowship with friends who love to run, it is awesome in my life.
I will continue to read everything I can get my hands on. It is what helps me to grow, prepares me to speak more than 100 times in a year, where I de-stress, where I pray, where I will always be a lifelong learner.
I will continue to preach, study, travel, sit by the fire, eat, laugh, make new friends, and spend time with old friends.
When 2013 is over, I want to look back and see all the lives that have been impacted and changed for God, that’s all that matters. I am doing that now with 2012 and it is humbling. There are times when I want to do my own thing and go my own way but I keep looking to heaven and that day that really will come sooner rather than later and I want to spend my life living for something, someone greater than myself.
Thank you God for another year of good health, great family and friends, and blessing.
Ronnie
