I love to preach 
(what preacher doesn’t?)
2011 was a great year of both preaching and teaching. Being the first full year as pastor of LMBC, I probably preached more in 2011 than any other year in my life!
Outside of LMBC, God also gave me some wonderful preaching opportunities in 2011. From “Man Camp” in Pennsylvania to a youth revival in Kilgore to “The Bogg” camp to a breakfast Bible study here in Longview, I am thankful for every opportunity i had to preach and teach TRUTH!
God has given me some great opportunities to serve outside of my local church and I am thankful for every one!
My favorite is CityReach. I am humbled to be a part of the CityReach board. It is an honor to serve alongside an amazing group of men and women as a part of the best team I have ever been on. I can’t wait til CR12 in Toronto!
2011 also marked an end to a fantastic chapter in my life. In April of 2011 I served as emcee of AYC (Arkansas Youth Conference) for the final time. I answered the call to ministry at AYC 12 years ago and served on the AYC planning team for nearly a decade. I am so thankful to Doug Goodman and Chad Graves for inviting me to join this team back in 2002. It will always be a highlight of my life.
I love growing and learning. 2011 was a year of personal development and learning as a father, husband and pastor.
From books, sermons and seminars I gained lots of new knowledge that (if put into practice) will help me to be a better man in 2012. God is always faithful to use all kinds of methods to tell me exactly what i need to learn. (unfortunately I am not always as faithful to listen)
Some highlights were the creation seminar by John Heffner at LMBC, The Chick-Fil-A Leadercast, Sons of Silas Retreat and (my favorite learning moment) LeadSummit Northwest.
Thank you God for all the ways you mold me into exactly what you want me to be.
On the last Sunday of January 2011 a few couples launched a new Sunday School group at LMBC with the vision of reaching new young couples and building a small group community that could share life together and aid each other along in our spiritual journey… Mission Accomplished!
I am blown away at how this group is learning to love each other and lean on one another. We celebrate each others joys and prop one another up during difficult times. It has been really awesome to watch this group grow in numbers and in spirit. Some of my best friends I have here are a result of relationships formed in this group.
For me it is the place where I can experience “church” without having to put on my “pastor hat” and can just grow along side an awesome group of people.
I know 2012 will be another great year for our group and I am so grateful to be a part of it!
I rang in 2011 somewhere between Childress and Wichita Falls Texas on my way home from a family vacation in Colorado, so it is only fitting that places would stand out as one of my 2011 highlights.
New Orleans, Seattle/Mt Rainer National Park, Baltimore, Southern Pennsylvania, Memphis, Greater San Antonio, Memphis, Fayetteville, Joplin, Petit Jean Mt, Niagara Falls, Gulf Shores, Toronto and even Little Rock are the places that highlight an awesome year of travel. Some guys hunt, some fish, some golf… my hobby is travel and I was born with a rambling soul.
One of the odd things is that I never set foot in my old hometown of Cave City a single time in 2011… that seems so weird because of what that community and its people mean to me and my family. I hope to change that in 2012 and get up that way to see some folk!
Thank you Father for all the places I got to go and all the things I was privileged to experience in 2011!
