My Soul Sings — Thoughts on Yesterday (Annivers6ry)
“My Soul Sings, God You’ve been good to me (us)/Now I’m dancing on the rising sun, to the hopeful future, and the things to come/and as seasons change, no I won’t give up/ For you’ve never failed (us), no not once. With all my heart, I love you Lord.” -Maverick City Music
What a day yesterday.
As you may have read last week, the overwhelming joy of leading Trailside Church these last 6 years has been palpable. Seasons indeed have changed, as the world of church and ministry often does, and we’ve seen dramatic shifts at TSC. In all the great, good, hard, and trial, one thing I can firmly say is God has been good to us in ways I never thought possible…perhaps in ways I didn’t have the capacity to believe and understand without living through it myself.
The reality is when you are facing big questions through this journey of discipleship and learning to trust and move in faith as Jesus calls us to, each step can be a little scary. For those who have figured out how to be open handed with our trust in those moments where God seems quiet yet steady, you already know that every new step gives us a choice: To follow what we feel or to trust what we know God has told us.
Learning to trust God’s providential and sovereign hand has been the most exciting and disciplined lesson I’ve learned in these six years. I am sure that the journey is no where near complete for us.
We used to sit in a meeting room and beg God to show up… When we would pray that God would equip us to be great stewards of that moment in time we were sharing… When we didn’t have the answer for how, but learned to trust that He, by His sovereign hand, would lead precisely as He wanted and was simply calling us to be faithful and obedient… Those were the moments where we learned to be trusting and secure.
I remember praying that we would have enough to cover bills at the church, and needing to see God’s hand.
I remember praying that we would have people show up who would catch the vision and run with us, and needing to see God’s hand.
I remember praying that Jesus’ own prayer for unity in John 17 would be our church’s heart, and needing to see God’s hand.
I remember praying that insecurity and fear would be met with identity and trust, and needing to see God’s hand.
What happened? God continually, in HIS timing, showed up. It wasn’t immediate. It wasn’t all at once. It wasn’t an overabundance that we weren’t ready to steward. What happened was God’s hand demonstrated His heart for us, and day by day, week by week, He continued to give us what we needed for that day (Matthew 6) as we contended to be faithful to His calling for our church, no matter how heavy handed the waves felt at the time.
Today, I am sitting at my desk reliving yesterday’s worship. Reminding myself of our Trailkids hallway slammed full of little disciples, being loved by Kim’s team of people who love Jesus so much that they echo His heart when children come and interrupt His teaching in Matthew 19; smiling as they themselves echoed in the halls while we were singing the praises of God’s goodness to our church one door over.
Watching my own wife lead her church alongside Tony’s team while people raise their hands in freedom, who now recognize for a long time that those free hands once were bound to everything this world demands of us instead. Dedicating a sweet baby girl with full acknowledgement that her life will be led by parents who put their full faith in the Gospel and listening to a congregation meaningfully agree to help when needed. Installing new elders who are having the baton passed from other men who served the office faithfully and are now taking a well deserved break until their next time through. The joy was palpable in every capacity! There is so much more to recount, but for those of you who are still reading, I’ll let you enjoy those moments in your own heart for now, because I could type for hours.
And now I am thankful that this 6 year stretch is just the beginning for us. I have the honor and joy of not just preaching and teaching this foundation that is the Gospel, but the opportunity to walk with people in their every day moments as we see the Gospel shift lives and eternities all around us, including my own and my family’s.
Is it perfect? Nah. Never will be. We’ve got a ton to work on at Trailside and will do so.
But I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it is being led by the one who is perfect. When we see the wind around us, just as Peter did while he was standing on the lake, I have no doubt that the Perfect One will be there to pull us out of the water, wrap His arms around us, and put us back on the boat, and lovingly give us the opportunity to try again…
And He will love us profoundly and fully every single step of the way. I can’t wait to see His hand in year 7 and I hope you feel the same.
He’s never failed us, no not once.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on yesterday, or your God story at Trailside Church. Shoot me an email: Sean@trailside.church.