Vision 2026

Vision 2026

January 11, 2026

I’ve always thought I’ve been pretty open and honest with you about myself. And this year, I’d like to up that a bit. I want you to know more about my thoughts, longings, desires and whatever I sense God placing on my heart. That’s why every week, as long as I’m able, there will be a short video about what I’m reading, listening to, or sensing from God.

I want to be really, really open and vulnerable. Of course, within reason.

With that in mind, I want to answer a question that’s been asked a lot over the past year or so. Lots of people have asked me when am I going to retire.

I thought I would answer that question and lead us forward as we look at a vision for who I believe God’s calling us to be in 2026.

Realistically, I always thought I would retire when Zachary graduated college. My college debt days were now over. But, it’s been almost 4 years since he graduated. And I’m still here.

But 3 years ago, I was ready to retire. Frankly, I was spent, frustrated and done! I told God my plans . . . yes, I told God my plans. I got no comments back from God telling me I’m wrong. I really was feeling at peace with my decision. Somewhere along the way, I had a conversation with God and the Holy Spirit led me to re-examine what I was doing. And ultimately, I realized what I was thinking and planning was all wrong. God was waiting for me to be open to His leading and not my leading.

I’ve had people tell me I need to slow down and enjoy life. That’s great wisdom, seriously, it is. Yet, last week when I was sick, I couldn’t just sit and do nothing. I had to do stuff in the house. I was enjoying what I was doing, ripping wallpaper off of a wall.

At the same time, I believe my spiritual life has not been better in so many years. I feel a greater closeness to God and a greater longing to be in His presence and to truly honor and glorify Him in all I do.

I see God doing great things in and around us and have this amazing hope of what is going to happen this year at First Baptist Church . . . and in our community.

Solomon tells us - - - -

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. — Proverbs 13:12

Have you ever been discouraged? I’ve been there on and off over the past years. It’s interesting that in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, when the angel Clarence is assigned to be George’s guardian angel. Clarence responds, “oh heavens, is he sick?” The supervising angel says, “no, it’s worse, he’s discouraged.”

It’s easy to get there. And for a long time, I was there. But, God is great and faithful, and I’ve done some of the hard work, and God has never left me. Never abandoned me. He didn’t fail me or forsake me. God has always held true to His promises.

But I’m no longer there. I’m excited! And this is what I’ve got to say before we move on about my retirement. I do not believe God has called me to retire . . . . yet! And if it so happens that I take my final breaths while I’m still the pastor at FBC, then I was right where God wanted me to be.

That’s a long winded way of saying I’m here until God tells me I’m done! I could have said it that way, but I also wanted you to know a bit about my journey and most especially the excitement I have about God’s presence right now in my life.

So, let’s keep this thought about God moving forward. I started talking about this last week for our communion worship . . . and want to continue this train of thought.

You see, going back to that scripture on the screen, when we’re discouraged, we start to lose hope. And when we’re in this state of despair, we start to hear the whispers of lies . . . I was there . . . .

I didn’t want to go on, I wondered if I even mattered, I allowed past hurts and even my upbringing to derail me. Does my presence here even matter. Not just to you, but to my family and closest friends. Would anyone really miss me. You know, life goes on.

We can ask God a lot of questions about where is He in the midst of our storms. Scripture knows this condition well: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick…"