I keep a five-year journal. I talk about it often. It is one of the most beneficial things I do. I woke up on Monday and got to look back on the past two years. I was drained from a 10hr day on Sunday. I wasn’t really feeling it, what is it? I don’t know. I was tired. But I looked back and do you know what I read? I read about the first gas day when we gave out thousands of dollars, filled over 200 tanks of gas, had News12 interviewing us and B98.5 present. Then last year, I had Michelle over my house to celebrate her birthday with my family. Know how I met Michelle? Through gas day! It was amazing to pause Monday morning, look back, reflect and instantly praise God!
"Sometimes I feel hopeless. Sometimes I can’t see a solution. Sometimes I simply do not see how anything good can come from my current situation."
Do you know what else happens? Let me tell you about Tuesday morning. Sometimes I feel hopeless. Sometimes I can’t see a solution. Sometimes I simply do not see how anything good can come from my current situation. A year ago on Tuesday, we moved out of our church location at that time. That was three locations ago! I wrote about how frustrated I was that the deal fell through. We were leaving and I felt like Abraham. God, what gives? God, what are you doing? How am I to lead this church directionless? God, what is the plan? As I type this, we are in our permanent location and dare I never question God again. Looking back teaches me that what feels dyer at the time will pass. Time brings perspective.
I think for these reasons, God commanded what He commanded in Joshua 4.
And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
They did just that. Some went back into the parted water, grabbed stones and set up a memorial. What was the purpose? To declare the goodness of God for all generations to come. When tempted to forget, DON’T. When you have the opportunity to brag on God, you brag! You declare His fame.
Why is this so critical? Because as life happens, good, bad, tired, etc, we by nature become tunnel visioned. There is value to stepping back and remembering the goodness of God.
"There is value to stepping back and remembering the goodness of God."
I will forever celebrate my anniversary. I love my wife. We enjoy sharing memories; 3 homes later, 3 dogs later, 3 kids later and here we are celebrating ten years. God is faithful. When I want to question God’s faithfulness in the present, I simply need to look at my bride.
When life happens at church, low attendance, high attendance, low giving, dysfunctions on a team, drama in a life group, I simply need to scan through my five-year journal and I'll be reminded of God’s faithfulness. I need to read the folder in my email titled “encouragement” where I can read positive emails of life change and gratitude. Remember that time the lights went out at Intermediate East? Or that time people came back from the gas day and ignited worship during the 3rd service? It was cray.
Every first weekend in June, I party with a group of people. Close your email, I’m talking about a reverent party, not a booze fest. Who are the people I hang with? The group of people that got together to dream about something big in Toms River. Wellspring was birthed out of that group.
Every first weekend in March, I will party. Why? That will forever be Wellspring Church’s Birthday! The enemy may cause me to question this ministry. If we don’t take time to remember, to reflect, the enemy will win that battle. But, when we pause and reflect on the goodness of God, the enemy loses ground! So March 3rd, 2019 I am celebrating that in two years we have poured about $50,000 into our community. We have given about $50,000 to missions. Over 300 people have indicated interest in a relationship with Jesus. Over 50 people have been baptized. Weekly life group attendance is around 60 people! We have well over 100 people that have indicated faith in Jesus. We have had to re-order Bibles three times over. We are soon going to break the weekly 300 mark in attendance. GOD IS ON THE MOVE.
The mission to ignite a craving for Jesus by relentlessly loving our community is NOT OVER. But has God moved? Have we made a dent in it? Oh my, upon reflecting I can say YES.
So what about you? Can you take up journaling? Here is the journal I use: https://smile.amazon.com/Thought-Day-Journal-Diary-Notebook/dp/1441305610/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=5+year+journal&qid=1551202934&s=gateway&sr=8-10
Or an app, I suggest the Day One app. It’s a journaling app that you can categorize each entry and search it out later. You can add pictures and other things as well to each entry.
Do you feel attacked right now? Pause. Reflect. Read Scripture. Talk to a mature believer about how they have experienced the faithfulness of God. They will speak of hard times and how God met them in that place.
Take an adult time out, remember the goodness of God.
Keep Praying for One,
Written by Pastor Jason Coache,
Lead Pastor of Wellspring Church
