2024: A Year of Change and Transformation
If I had to sum up 2024 in one word, it would be change. This year has been the biggest year of change in our lives so far. And while it’s been challenging, it’s also been incredibly enriching.
Here are just some of the monumental changes we've walked through:
Our oldest son left home.
Our oldest son got married.
We bought a business.
We stepped out of our role as senior pastors and left the church we had been part of for over 18 years.
We spent three months traveling.
We started building a new ministry dedicated to walking alongside pastors and offering support however we can.
We joined the team at Life and embraced a new role.
We made a lot of new friends.
Through it all, God spoke to us in profound ways. As a result, our entire world started moving in ways we could never have imagined at the beginning of the year. Now, as the year closes, our life is almost unrecognizable from how it began. Nearly all our reference points have shifted—except for one: Jesus.
By God’s grace, I can say that I arrive at the end of this year more whole, more full of vision for the future, a better husband, father, and friend, more at peace, and filled with joy.
But let’s be real for a moment: it was also a really difficult year. There were a lot of struggles along the way. Here’s a glimpse of what I wrestled with:
The grief of leaving the church we had poured our hearts into for 18 years.
Being judged and misunderstood by others.
Wrestling with shame as I reflected on my leadership journey, especially the moments when I fell short.
Letting go of the past.
Feeling like I had lost my place in the world—stuck in a kind of "no-man's land."
Trusting God with our future and provision.
But in the midst of all of this, there were also key lessons—things I’ve learned, relearned, and learned in deeper ways:
God loves me, and He is my place in the world. No matter where I go or what changes come, God is always my foundation.
I have to make peace with the past, because God has already forgiven and redeemed it. If He can do that, I need to follow suit.
Grief is the result of love. You grieve because you loved deeply, and it meant something. I’m learning to embrace that grief, let it unfold, and trust God with it.
God’s got this. But living like He does requires constant confession, prayer, and the help of the Holy Spirit. Some days are easier than others, but I always need a plan for bringing my soul back to a place of trust.
The goal is not always to make sense of it all, but to meet with God in the middle of it and trust Him in the mystery.
Through it all, I’ve tried to practice:
Honesty about my feelings, taking them to God in prayer.
Creative and reflective writing to process what’s happening inside.
Not getting stuck in my worst moments—letting them come and go without letting them define me.
Worshipping and praying, no matter how I felt.
Forgiving others as Christ has forgiven me.
Fully embracing moments of deep joy and peace—being present in them without reservation.
Confessing God’s goodness and His faithfulness to carry out His plans for my life.
Asking God for new vision—trusting that He will show the way.
Thinking less and living more.
Looking ahead to 2025, I don’t know exactly what it will bring. But I do know this: the God who has been with me every step of the way has good plans for the future. I can trust Him, no matter what.
Psalm 138:8 says, "The Lord will work out His plans for my life— for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever." And that’s the truth I’m holding onto as I step into the new year.
