Soooo, 2017 … nothing happened. See you next year!
Oh, alright one or two things occurred …
I heard something about a new President, stopped reading the news, survived another Virginia Beach blizzard with 4 inches of snow, partied with Cassia as she reached double digits, gave Elena Kay my old guitar (she’s not playing it), turned 40, experienced FC Barcelona play Manchester United with Josiah and 90,000 foreigners (it was a soccer game), lost more hair, revived my unstoppable basketball skills (totally throttled some 12 year olds), taught three out of four Rowan children to ride a bike (Addie has a scooter and she shreds), witnessed thousands of people accept Jesus at Joel Osteen’s Night of Hope, scored a hole in one at Shipwreck Mini Golf (super difficult … trust me), started helping people understand more about dreams with the lovely Jenny Rowan, watched the same lovely share her testimony at Sunday night church; celebrated 17 years of marital bliss with the lovely, stopped watching the Redskins … again, made sure my progeny stayed alive while Jenny was in Chicago learning how to be even more awesome at kid’s ministry, saw a guy play a mailbox during a song at our church’s Men’s Conference, visited Israel (USA moved embassy to Jerusalem right afterwards … coincidence?!?! I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.), acquired a hairy, four-legged child that likes to bite feet (We call her Holly and she’s extra jolly.) aaand I now have a teenager who has outgrown her Mother (enough about that).
And that was just last week! This year has been a monumental one in the lore of the Rowan household. Rounding out the year with a trip to the very place that CHRISTmas originated was beyond words life-changing. Being there a second time as an older, marginally wiser version of myself really helped me better understand the miracle of Israel. God never does anything halfway or mediocre. Miracles are status quo for Jesus. Jesus alive in us, the hope of glory, gives us the same DNA. We are made for miracles.
I trust that you’re entering Christmas season with hope-filled expectancy. Expect the miraculous. I believe God is looking for those who will believe. Let us be ones that believe for more … more than we ever have in the past. God has not changed. He is the same miracle-working God of the Bible. The very Bible that foretold the rebirth of Israel encourages us to experience an exceeding, abundant, more than we can ask life. The same Holy Spirit infused words are foretelling the impossible to become possible in our world today. This Christmas as we remember the greatest miracle, God becoming man to save mankind, I pray that our hearts and eyes are opened to see the miraculous life that Jesus came to give us.
A very Merry Christmas to you!
Love … The Rowans