Last year about this time, I was reflecting in my blog about the year that was 2009. I had seen God do so many great things in me and my family. Tomorrow is my next birthday, and I will be turning 46 this year. I saw a commercial the other day stating that people as young as 50 can be part of AARP. Wow, that was a nice bit of encourgement to me! So, I'm four years away from that milestone. But God isn't finished with me by far.
As I looked back at that blog post one year ago, I decided it was time for some reflection & evaluation of how 2010 turned out, as well as look at moving forward into 2011. Here are the goals I listed at that time, first the obvious ones:
- to glorify God in everything I do, say, think, believe, express, etc.
- to love my wife as Christ loves the church, willing to give myself for her
- to make my wife & children my primary ministry as unto the Lord
- to serve faithfully in the ministries God has provided - both school & church
In terms of evaluation, I believe I did make some progress in most of these over last year. But these will remain important parts of my goals for 2011 as well. I always need to grow in loving my wife more. One big area of focus for me this year will be to really invest more in my boys. They are at a crucial age now, and I need to be participating in their lives fully as well as to be an example of a Godly man. The girls will need time as well, especially for Kelsey as she begins her senior year in high school. In addition, I need to lead my family to be more missional in our neighborhood. There's no doubt that God is leading us as a family to make more of an impact for Christ there. The school and church ministries are growing and making an impact in others' lives. I need to continue to be sensitive to God's leading in both places.
But here are a few more goals that still remain close to my heart in 2011:
- to live my life with an increasing passion for Jesus Christ
- to accept God's ongoing process of humbling me with joy
- to not waste my life with things of no eternal value
- to magnify my Lord through both joy & suffering, leaning on His power & will
- to take Spirit-led risks that honor God through simple trust in Him
- to invest Christlikeness in others for making much of Christ in others & the world
- to be willing to give up anything God desires, even my own life
- to be a living sacrifice, holy & pleasing to God every day
I definitely see God working in me every day. My prayer is that He will continue faithfully the process of making me what He desires. And that I will live for Him in all things.
Pastor Randy
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas - Why We Celebrate
Luke 2:1-20 (NKJV)
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Randy
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Randy
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Bridges Christmas Letter
Time for the Bridges’ Family Christmas update! The past year saw God make some big changes in the Bridges’ household. As we mentioned last year, God called us to step out in faith and quickly led us to a new church home at Wakefield Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. We have enjoyed getting to know the loving and supportive family of Christ there over the past year. Randy was called as their new part-time Minister of Music in June. It was not easy to leave our friends at Watkins Chapel, but it has been a blessing to keep up with many of them and hear about what God is doing in their lives.
Obviously the change in ministry has had the greatest impact on Randy. He has enjoyed the opportunity to focus on Music Ministry and his teaching at NRCA. The music ministry at Wakefield continues to grow, and Randy is seeing God work in great ways. At NRCA, the school’s recent expansion allowed Randy to teach all seventh graders for the first time. He has a great group of students this year. God is also providing many ministry opportunities in the lives of his students and their families. Randy is trying to read all he can, including a great book by David Platt, called “Radical”. He highly recommends it. Another highlight for Randy this year was taking Daniel to the beach for some discussions on biblical manhood. It was a great trip and an opportunity to spend time together.
Felicia continues to manage Human Resources for the Turnpike Authority, but is really most excited about the progress in her writing over the past year. In January, her friend Daphne suggested they attend the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest, NC, in May. After much prayer about the resources and time away from work, Felicia committed to the trip in faith. God provided a full scholarship from the Cecil B. Murphey Foundation, and Felicia almost missed receiving it because she thought the email notification was junkmail! The conference was an incredible opportunity to meet and study under published authors, discuss current projects with agents and publishers, and learn just how much she did NOT know about writing. She forged some wonderful friendships and has spent the last five months trying to apply all the wonderful things she learned to her manuscript. One of the most helpful aspects of the conference has been her connection with a critique group which has allowed her to get regular weekly feedback on each chapter as she continues to re-write, re-write, and re-write. She is currently praying about whether God might provide a way for her to go back to BRMCWC in 2011, hopefully with a completely re-written manuscript ready to pitch to those editors!
Megan has had a few changes over the past year as well. She did a great job at NCSU her freshman year, earning all A’s and B’s while acting in three productions. She even won a “Hammy” award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Milky White in “Into the Woods”, in which she stole the show, or at least the first Act! She also decided to change majors to International Studies – Europe which she believes will line up better with the call she feels to missions. Her current plan is to fulfill the study abroad requirement for her major by spending six weeks in Prague, Czech Republic this summer. She spent most of last summer looking for a job and finally landed one working at Red Robin. She even got to exercise her theatrical skills being the bird, but learned that was not quite as fun as it might appear. She was happy to get back to her on-campus job this fall managing the information booth each day at lunchtime. She also had the opportunity to get some backstage experience this semester serving as Assistant Stage Manager and then as Costumer.
Kelsey says her schoolwork has eaten her life. Taking two Advanced Placement courses and three Honors level courses is definitely keeping her busy, especially during Marching Band season. Serving as Squad Leader again, Kelsey and the Marching Knights had a great season, winning numerous awards at the three competitions they attended. As a Junior, this year is filled with college visits, SATs and discussions about possible majors. She is interested in Medical School and even thinking about going to UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, much to the horror of the entire family! Kelsey started working at Chick-Fil-A last summer and loves it. They’ve been very understanding about her band schedule and, of course, she gets Sundays off. She and Spencer continue to spend time together, mostly with friends in the band, and will celebrate three years together in January.
Daniel is enjoying sixth grade and feeling like a big man on campus in Middle School. He played Knights League basketball last winter and is thinking about joining the track team this spring. He’s ready for his exam week to come even though he only has to take one because he had almost all A’s this year. He’s found an interest in reading and writing books. He has been reading the Percy Jackson series and is about to start reading the last book. Daniel continues to play trombone in the school band and has joined the youth praise team on drums. He is very excited about being in the church youth ministry. With Daniel turning twelve this year, Randy took him to the beach for some male bonding and life lessons in preparation for his teen years. They had a great time, and Daniel probably learned more than he wanted to know about living as a Godly man!
Matt is in third grade this year and making straight A’s, and makes it look really easy. He has discovered a love for writing and has completed his first play, “A Valentine’s Carol – A Lesson about Kindness.” He tells us it is based on Matthew 5:44. He is singing in the Children’s Choir at church and also played Knights League last winter with Randy as his coach. He just found out he’ll be in the “garage band” in the third grade musical this year at school. Matt’s love for action movies continues, and he is always making up his own movies as well. We’re sure he will be a famous writer one day. But one of Matt’s most important qualities is a heart that shows love to everyone. He is always ready with a hug or a kind word that melts your heart.
Well, that is all the news we have from the Bridges’ home. You can follow us throughout the year on Facebook, Twitter, and our blogs (psalms204.blogspot.com and rbridges2.blogspot.com). We hope that you and your family have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Savior and that the New Year draws you ever closer to Him!
Merry Christmas!
Randy, Felicia, Megan, Kelsey, Daniel & Matt Bridges
Obviously the change in ministry has had the greatest impact on Randy. He has enjoyed the opportunity to focus on Music Ministry and his teaching at NRCA. The music ministry at Wakefield continues to grow, and Randy is seeing God work in great ways. At NRCA, the school’s recent expansion allowed Randy to teach all seventh graders for the first time. He has a great group of students this year. God is also providing many ministry opportunities in the lives of his students and their families. Randy is trying to read all he can, including a great book by David Platt, called “Radical”. He highly recommends it. Another highlight for Randy this year was taking Daniel to the beach for some discussions on biblical manhood. It was a great trip and an opportunity to spend time together.
Felicia continues to manage Human Resources for the Turnpike Authority, but is really most excited about the progress in her writing over the past year. In January, her friend Daphne suggested they attend the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest, NC, in May. After much prayer about the resources and time away from work, Felicia committed to the trip in faith. God provided a full scholarship from the Cecil B. Murphey Foundation, and Felicia almost missed receiving it because she thought the email notification was junkmail! The conference was an incredible opportunity to meet and study under published authors, discuss current projects with agents and publishers, and learn just how much she did NOT know about writing. She forged some wonderful friendships and has spent the last five months trying to apply all the wonderful things she learned to her manuscript. One of the most helpful aspects of the conference has been her connection with a critique group which has allowed her to get regular weekly feedback on each chapter as she continues to re-write, re-write, and re-write. She is currently praying about whether God might provide a way for her to go back to BRMCWC in 2011, hopefully with a completely re-written manuscript ready to pitch to those editors!
Megan has had a few changes over the past year as well. She did a great job at NCSU her freshman year, earning all A’s and B’s while acting in three productions. She even won a “Hammy” award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Milky White in “Into the Woods”, in which she stole the show, or at least the first Act! She also decided to change majors to International Studies – Europe which she believes will line up better with the call she feels to missions. Her current plan is to fulfill the study abroad requirement for her major by spending six weeks in Prague, Czech Republic this summer. She spent most of last summer looking for a job and finally landed one working at Red Robin. She even got to exercise her theatrical skills being the bird, but learned that was not quite as fun as it might appear. She was happy to get back to her on-campus job this fall managing the information booth each day at lunchtime. She also had the opportunity to get some backstage experience this semester serving as Assistant Stage Manager and then as Costumer.
Kelsey says her schoolwork has eaten her life. Taking two Advanced Placement courses and three Honors level courses is definitely keeping her busy, especially during Marching Band season. Serving as Squad Leader again, Kelsey and the Marching Knights had a great season, winning numerous awards at the three competitions they attended. As a Junior, this year is filled with college visits, SATs and discussions about possible majors. She is interested in Medical School and even thinking about going to UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, much to the horror of the entire family! Kelsey started working at Chick-Fil-A last summer and loves it. They’ve been very understanding about her band schedule and, of course, she gets Sundays off. She and Spencer continue to spend time together, mostly with friends in the band, and will celebrate three years together in January.
Daniel is enjoying sixth grade and feeling like a big man on campus in Middle School. He played Knights League basketball last winter and is thinking about joining the track team this spring. He’s ready for his exam week to come even though he only has to take one because he had almost all A’s this year. He’s found an interest in reading and writing books. He has been reading the Percy Jackson series and is about to start reading the last book. Daniel continues to play trombone in the school band and has joined the youth praise team on drums. He is very excited about being in the church youth ministry. With Daniel turning twelve this year, Randy took him to the beach for some male bonding and life lessons in preparation for his teen years. They had a great time, and Daniel probably learned more than he wanted to know about living as a Godly man!
Matt is in third grade this year and making straight A’s, and makes it look really easy. He has discovered a love for writing and has completed his first play, “A Valentine’s Carol – A Lesson about Kindness.” He tells us it is based on Matthew 5:44. He is singing in the Children’s Choir at church and also played Knights League last winter with Randy as his coach. He just found out he’ll be in the “garage band” in the third grade musical this year at school. Matt’s love for action movies continues, and he is always making up his own movies as well. We’re sure he will be a famous writer one day. But one of Matt’s most important qualities is a heart that shows love to everyone. He is always ready with a hug or a kind word that melts your heart.
Well, that is all the news we have from the Bridges’ home. You can follow us throughout the year on Facebook, Twitter, and our blogs (psalms204.blogspot.com and rbridges2.blogspot.com). We hope that you and your family have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Savior and that the New Year draws you ever closer to Him!
Merry Christmas!
Randy, Felicia, Megan, Kelsey, Daniel & Matt Bridges
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