This Is Not Valentine's Week

Micah enjoying a birthday lunch with Dad at
Dame's Chicken and Waffles in Durham, NC
following a long day at Duke.
02/10/15

Please don't send me any notes correcting my reading of the calendar. I know that all the world seems to talk of Saturday being Valentine's Day. And yes, there's even some discussion of that in the Buchanan house. However, eight years ago Valentine's Day took a back seat to a far more important celebration on that day.

This Saturday will be the celebration of Micah's eighth birthday. His birth eight years ago forever changed everything about our lives, including our relationship with God.

We pray for all of our children, but more prayers have ascended for Micah, I'm sure, than any of the other four.

All of our children are a beautiful, wonderful, undeserved gift from God who have taught us of the Father's grace, mercy, and love. Micah has taught us of the Father's immense love to allow His Son to suffer deeply for our unmerited blessing.

Each of our boys have their own unique story that tells of God's mighty hand to accomplish supernatural and miraculous things in their lives. Micah has certainly given us front row seats to see numerous occasions of the Master's hands at work.

So after eight years, two transplants, and a whole lot of deep valleys, as well as incredible moments of rejoicing, it is my undeniable and inexpressible joy to say, "Happy Birthday, Micah!"

The Joy of One Year

What a joy yesterday was to remember all that God has done in the last year among His people at Refuge Church and to look forward to what He can and will do! 

Over one year ago, Refuge existed only in the mind and heart of God who began placing the vision for a new church on the hearts of others. You have been part of that team on whose hearts God has impressed this work.

I pray we will each take heart and encouragement in the words of Paul to the Philippians. Paul knew of his life and the lives of the Christians in Philippi that they were not who they used to be but they were not yet who they were going to be. Jesus Christ had called them out of darkness and into the light of His kingdom by the gospel. They were disciples under construction. So Paul encourages them with these words: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). 

We are individually as followers, and together as Refuge Church, a work of God that is under construction in Jesus Christ. We are "like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house…" (1 Peter 2:5). The house may not be finished, but there is joy because the Master Carpenter, Jesus Christ, is at work in us.

Finally, let me ask you to reflect on the previous 12 months of what God has done and what God is doing. But let me also ask you to pray, today, for the next 12 months. God desires to do a work greater than all we could ask or imagine. What are we asking and trusting Him for in these next 12 months? 

Will you pray that we display the gospel in tangible ways?

Will you pray that we declare the gospel for lives to be changed?

Will you pray for the areas of need at Refuge to be met in God's time by God's resources?

What would God have you to pray for Refuge Church?

It has been and continues to be my joy to be in this work and service with you.