A Great Start To A Great New Year

I had a great start to the New Year this morning.

The first voice I heard this morning was from the love of my life (my wife Janet) telling me Happy Birthday & Happy New Year as we woke up. As she went back to sleep, I got up to a QUIET HOUSE and had a great time alone with God. Got my cup of coffee, Bible and Prayer Journal. Had my dog at my side. The only thing that could have made this cold morning better would have been a fire in the fireplace!

Got to spend time thanking God for & praying for Janet, all our kids, my mom & mother-in-law, several friends & our church family at Grace Fellowship.

Spent some time praying specifically for my new Grandson – Barrett Christopher Hurst – who’s supposed to greet us face to face sometime in May! Praying for his salvation – that he’ll become a great man of God – for a Godly spouse for him – and that God will be ok with me spoiling him (just kidding about the spoiling idea).

Also prayed for myself; to become all that God wants me to be this year. I really want to be a better husband, father, son, leader, pastor, communicator. I want to take greater risks for the Kingdom, have greater compassion for people, develop more faith & wisdom, connect with more people who don’t know Christ, and become a great communicator of God’s Truth.

My time in God’s Word was in Acts 16. It reminded me of several things to apply personally. (vv.6-8) Keep moving in the direction of people (& people groups) who need to know Jesus and trust the Holy Spirit to open & close doors. (v.9-ff) When the Holy Spirit directs – FOLLOW! When you follow, you may encounter opposition, but that opposition can also provide you a greater opportunity to share the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to establish new churches that flourish!

All in all – a great start to a great new year!

PS – There’s no greater joy or adventure in life than following Jesus Christ!

About bjrutledge

BJ & Janet were married in July 1977 They have three grown children who are all married: Jeremy & Whitney Rutledge, Chris & Julie Hurst, and Josh and Hannah Rutledge. They also have five grandsons, and a granddaughter. BJ says perhaps our greatest legacy is even though our kids are PK's, they love Jesus and are all involved in ministry in the local church. BJ has served at churches in Dallas - Bossier City, LA - Houston - and was at Fellowship of the Woodlands (Woodlands Church) in The Woodlands before coming to Grace Fellowship. BJ is the Legacy Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Paradise, TX.

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