Transitions

For the last many years our family has held a New Year’s Eve party based on an idea we found in Family Fun Magazine. This method worked extremely well when the kids were just little people holding their attention and helping them hang in there until the ball dropped but the concept has grown up with us so that now it’s become tradition. This party plan helps to bring some purpose and real meaning to the night. Here’s how it goes: every hour you open a brown paper bag with a new activity in it. We draw clocks on the outside of the bags so we’ll know which is next.

The first bag contains everything necessary to vote on our appetizer contest. Anyone can enter. This makes for great eats and an excuse to award prizes for Most Festive, Best Tasting and Most Creative. Other bags reveal things like a bracket for a cornhole competition (yes, in the freezing cold!), or ping-pong, air hockey – whatever you have; next could be a board game or any other game that gets everyone involved. At some point one of the bags is filled with thank you notes, stamps, pens, stickers, etc. Each family takes the next hour to express gratitude for Christmas blessings.

My favorite hour is usually the 11:00 hour. This bag contains 3×5 cards, pens and envelopes from past years. Families gather in groups for this activity. We take time to talk about transitioning into the New Year. Each family member identifies 3-5 SMART goals for the coming year (S- specific M- measurable A- achievable R- realistic and T- timely) and writes them out on two new 3×5 cards. This way they take one home to help them remember and leave one in the envelope to review next New Year’s Eve. Past years’ goals are shared. We celebrate gaols achieved and talk through those that were not accomplished. New goals are read out loud in the family group and then prayed over together. This has become an incredibly meaningful exercise for kids and adults alike and prompts us to make every day count, living with purpose. it’s also pretty cool to read back over goals set through the years and remember what God has done.

This year is especially important for us as our family is transitioning into a brand new season of ministry. Tomorrow will be the first time in almost 15 years that Kurt will not be on staff at Southeast Christian Church. This new year brings full-time service with Further Still Ministries (FSM). Further Still is the umbrella ministry (501-C3) for DC Thoroughly Equipped, Excellent Things and Further Still Families. We have begun the process of raising support, gathering volunteers and most importantly forming prayer teams. Our firm belief is that prayer is the work of the ministry! As we praise the Lord and listen to Him in prayer, He moves.

Already many doors are opening, especially for DC. There are pilot groups at University of Tennessee, in church youth groups and at Christian Academy of Louisville as well as new church groups forming in local, regional and national arenas. Translation work is underway for DC in India and South America. A network of churches in Kenya, Africa is also interested in partnering with us in DC. As well, DC is in its beginning stages with prison ministry. We are so excited to walk through these doors as God leads!

You can find out more information about FSM at wwww.furtherstillministries.org. As the Lord leads you, we invite you to join with us as we help Christ followers develop intimacy with their Savior and as we equip them to make disciples who make disciples.

Kristen is taking somewhat of a back row seat as she continues to heal. After some pain medicine adjustments last week, she’s back to making progress. We are so very grateful. Keep praying for the miracle!

Happy New Year, Kurt & Kristen