I hope you are enjoying our new 2023 blog format! Today, I want to share “a Word, a Song and a Laugh” by talking about Vision and I want to inspire and encourage you to prayerfully develop your "vision board" for the future!
Today’s blog will be a little longer than usual … so buckle up and enjoy.
A WORD
“And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.” Habakkuk 2:2, AMPC
What vision has God given you for your future? Have you written it down?
There is something about creating a “vision board” in such a way that you can actually see it, envision it, remember it and run with it!
Over the years we have created various pictorial vision boards for our lives as the Lord has put His vision in our hearts and the crazy thing is: everything we’ve put on our vision boards — whether hand drawn stick figures or magazine pics we’ve glued to foam core — has always come to pass in one way or another!
As we look ahead to the new season we are in, we have been seeking the Lord and prayerfully creating new vision boards for our future.
For us, it’s been exactly 2 months … 60 days … since we passed the Valley Family Church Lead Pastor baton to our son and daughter-in-law … and more than once we’ve been asked the three questions below — and the answers to these three questions have helped us shape our vision boards for the future…
Did you guys retire?
Are you living in Florida?
What are you guys doing now?
Our “vision boards” (which we have created in the form of photo grids) answers these questions perfectly, so we thought it might be helpful to share them with you in the hope that you are inspired to create your own vision boards in the way that best suits you.
So, here goes…
OUR VISION
Question #1: Did you guys retire?
We did not fully “retire” — we “transitioned.” After planting and pastoring Valley Family Church for the past 32 years, we passed the Lead Pastor baton to Eric and Alexa Jones, our son and daughter-in-law on January 29, 2023. (They are the church are doing exceptionally well and we couldn’t be more pleased!!) We have transitioned into our role as the Founding Pastors to guide, mentor and support VFC’s future. In addition, we are still taking the gospel basics to the world as the Lord leads us via books, podcasts, online courses, etc. Here’s what we see in this season:
>> As Founding Pastors, we see our role includes:
-cherishing the past.
-remaining on the VFC Board to help lead and guide VFC’s future developments.
-championing the next generation.
-providing legal and financial guidance.
-offering oversight and pastoral insights for Eric and Alexa Jones.
-maintaining an office at VFC.
-teaching at VFC in-person and virtually throughout the year.
>> As it relates to other ministry endeavors, we see ourselves:
-sharing the good news of the gospel wherever we are.
-serving the Lord together in new ways.
-going where the Lord leads us.
-speaking where the doors open.
-writing what the Lord put in our hearts.
-teaching the Bible basics via books, podcasts and video through The Basics With Beth outreach.
So … you can see we did NOT retire, but our 32-year Mach speed pace as the "Founding Senior Pastors" has slowed down a tad to a fun new speed as "Founding Pastors." The photo grids below are the "vision boards" we are running with these days …
