Thank you to all of my friends who have wished me happy birthday today.

Here we go headed into another year. I am excited about this next year. I have learned some valuable lessons especially over the last few years. Over the past few years Shanna and I have started having kids (at number 3 right now). Southbridge Fellowship has launched. We have learned a ton of personal, parenting and leadership lessons through wins and set backs. I think those things combined set me up to have one of the best years in my life.

Here are somethings that have make me believe that saying this year will be the best one yet is not just optomistic thinking: (these are also things I am incredibly thankful for).

1. I have more special people in my life than ever before (the most recent addition being our newest daughter). I have a wife who is willing to talk through where we are at and where we are headed. I would hate to ever just exist living in the same home together.

2. I just preached on Revelation 2:1-7 and keep thinking about loving Jesus more now than in the past. I hope that I will continue to love Him more each day.

3. I am surrounded by people who love and support me. My wife being #1. My friends, our staff team, my community group, our elders and those who keep me accountable, and some mentor figures.

4. I get to serve on a team at Southbridge with people who like working together.

5. The church as a whole is at a place where I think we are about to go to the next level in impacting this city for Christ. We have experienced some great numeric and spiritual growth. I think it is going to continue to deepen and spread.

6. There are enough knowns to think things are headed in the right direction (personally, with my family, and with the church).

7. There are also enough unknowns that it is still exciting, still requires faith, and still gives me the desire to keep pressing on. I could write out all that I think will happen and plan towards that but God is full of surprises which requires dependence.

Here we go… 33 years and 1 day.