|
"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:13-14)
At the beginning of 2020, God gave me a word for the year, and that word was "forward". Little did I know then what awaited the world just a few weeks later. COVID-19 has brought great heartache and major life changes to so many people. It still astounds me that one virus could shut the world down, and yet, that is what has happened and continues to happen. Many states in the U.S. are starting to open up again and are trying to get back to a sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, 37 million Americans have already filed for unemployment. We have gone in just a few short weeks from arguably the most robust economy our nation has ever had to a very unstable and precarious situation.
My goal this week is to write each devotion on this one word: "Forward". The temptation (and a valid one, at that) is for us to cast our eyes downward and start moving backward instead of forward. I want to help you not do that. In every area of your life--your walk with God, your family, church, business, relationships--yes, in every facet of your personal and professional life, I want to come alongside you this week and, by God's grace, motivate you and challenge you to move forward.
A helpful reaction in times of crisis is to search for the good, the positive, the silver linings. Find the bright shaft of sunlight that is penetrating through the ominous and foreboding clouds in your life. I am so grateful to God that I have been able to continue to work and have not needed to file for unemployment. The church I am honored to serve, Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, TX, has really tried to move forward and not back up during this coronavirus. Can I just praise the Lord and brag on our church for a moment? I think by you reading this, your spirits will be lifted and you will have another reason for which you can praise the Lord.
By God's amazing grace, we have been able to move forward in ministry as a church. Leighton Forshee, our social media director at GHBC, sent our staff the following texts (the first one on April 16 and the next on May 5):
April 16:
|
|
|
Just to give y'all an idea of the astounding number of people God is allowing us to reach through Facebook alone during this time, in the past 28 days, here are some of the numbers:
Post Reach: 327.4K (up 1.8K% compared to the previous 28 days)
Post Engagements: 28.9K (up 361% compared to the previous 28 days)
Page Likes: 210 (up 192% compared to the previous 28 days)
We're growing and reaching more people than ever during this crazy time! Only 2 words can explain this: God's mathematics!
|
|
|
|
In the past 14 days, we've had people engage with our Facebook page from these countries: USA, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, Brazil, Russia, Canada, Argentina, Cameroon, Ukraine, Peru, South Korea, Nepal, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, Jamaica, & Haiti!
|
|
|
|
I am grateful for the opportunities God has given us to expand and reach so many over these last 2.5 months.
What are some things you can think of in your life or in your church for which you are grateful to God?
|
|
|
Podcast of the Week
10 Principles for Effective Living: Perseverance
Pastor Danny focuses this episode on the principle of Perseverance, delving into the stories of many inspiring historical figures who remained steadfast in the face of severe adversity.
|
|
|
|
|
