The "Settle Down" Year

I hoped the 2013 would be, for us, the Settle Down year.  I suppose in some ways it has been and we will look back on the last 8 months and find it so.  But it hasn't felt like that along the way (as my friend Miriam always says).

It has felt more like standing under a waterfall, and most of that has been church.  The tremendous cascade of life change we are living in is exhausting and overwhelming at times but wonderful too.  It is almost impossible to explain.  The numbers start to give it context.  The enormous crowds we had for opening and the Christmas services did not slack off much in the new year.  I think our average attendance at Greenwood Campus for has been around 1600.  We had 4 Easter services and 3200+ people.  We sent 79 kids and 28 adults to the Gauntlet summer camp, and we hadn't even started our student ministry yet!  Those folks came back PUMPED and we had over 2000 at church the next weekend.  Perry came to Greenwood for a vision night and over 1700 people showed up.  We had 3 services this past weekend and 2600+ people.  The best part is 158 gave their lives to Jesus!!!  That's why we do what we do.  Statewide 38,277 came and 1496 people met Jesus.  Can't help but celebrate.  Our town and state are going to be DIFFERENT!

But as we say Every number has a name and every name has a story.  I got to equip Care volunteers to meet and celebrate with those who responded.  I got to hold Anna and introduce her to volunteers who helped her meet Jesus in the Care room. I got to see people I had met on the Equipping Tour start our new coffee service and invite people to enjoy some FREE java while they waited for the service.  I got to pray with and for Jennifer as she traveled to another campus to bring a friend with her to church there.  And that friend MET JESUS!  Gave her life to him, in the midst of her terrible divorce.  People we gave backpacks to at their children's schools last week came to church and accepted Jesus into their lives!  The Wave is Rising!  Every story matters to God.

So, our schedule has been crazy with church stuff.  We moved Girls Night on Tuesday to Leah's house and added a couples group on Thursdays for Step Up.  We are helping with the first weeks of Fuse on Wednesdays.  Alan LOVED parking that first night.  Ownership Class this Thursday night.  Sunday night services start Sept 8th!  Can hardly wait.  Don't want to miss a thing.

So, mostly we nap.  Not much bike riding, despite the unseasonably fall weather we've had this August.  Lots of eating out (crap).  Sold our Clemson football tickets.  Who's got time for that?

Settled down?  I don't think so.