Good Stories Being Lived All Around Us

I wish that everyone who cares about Summit could have my last two weeks as their own. If you had, you would have seen firsthand how God is changing lives in this place. I have had so many run-ins with transformation that it is impossible for me to feel anything other than hope and to be anything other than head-over-heels for what God is doing. I have seen transformation in the life of a new friend who is going through reGROUP and got to hear him say he believes that God loves him after reading through pages of truths from God’s Word that have the power to push back the lies of sin and shame.

At Partnership Class, I got to meet people who are completely fired up about Summit because of what God is doing in their lives here. Twenty-two people made the commitment to be partners and took on the responsibility to embody the vision of Summit.

I got to interview almost 30 Summer intern applicants who have had all manner of transforming experiences at Summit, from being called into relationship with Christ, to seeing restoration in their stories, to being called into vocational ministry (or all three!). I was truly humbled by their stories, their maturity, and their heart for serving the church.

I also got to read through most of the baptism registrations. It was very much a worshipful experience to read story after tender story of God’s love being believed and received. These stories, written in the simple concrete words of a child, or with deep strokes reflecting conviction born out of pain and redemption, reminded me that God meets us exactly where we are. There were 64 individuals who were baptized, each with their own personal story of how God loves them.

Finally, I have been experiencing the transforming work of God in my life because of this church. I have been reminded, by the stories I mentioned previously and through our incredible Family Ministry, that God wants to use me to be a great parent to my kids. I am sure you can imagine that there are numerous opportunities to be selfish in a family of eight, and God has been revealing to me how I have been selfish and why it matters that I continue to grow in that area of my life. God is changing me, and hopefully using me to be a living good story to my kids.

Good things are happening, and there are Good Stories being lived all around us. And even better… There are Good Stories that can be your stories, too.