"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13

I can remember as a high schooler “making plans” for my future. The summer before my senior year God had called me to ministry so I was “making plans.” My plan was to go to college, then to seminary and then to be the pastor of a church. I also had “plans” to get married and have kids and do all the other married things. For the most part my plans worked out. There were some twists and turns along the way but for the most part things turned out as I planned. We all know that’s not always the case. The plans we have aren’t always God’s plans. Like you, I have learned that God’s plans are so much better than mine. When I came as your pastor 27 years ago I had “plans” for how I thought First Denton would do ministry and make a difference in our world. My “plans” were so much less than what God wanted to do. As I look back, now I can see that God had a better plan and when I stepped back and let Him work lives were changed for all eternity.

As we embark on a new year at First Denton lets claim Jeremiah 29:11 and know that God has great things planned for us as a church to be Changed People Changing Lives through Jesus Christ. I’m excited about the plans He has for us. I’ve been praying for several months asking God what might be involved in those plans. I look forward to sharing what I have heard from God with you tomorrow morning.

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