Imagine!

I laughed when I saw this picture, because though I don't have a chalkboard, lying all around me are sheets of paper on which I work out and through some of the ideas that come to me.

Yes, this is the digital era, and I was an early adopter. But I still have a tendency to work out my dreams and hopes on paper.

But here's the thing.

In my line of work, my hopes and my dreams are in the hands of others, namely:

God : For sure, or I'm way off track and those hopes and dreams wind up as wanting something for me, not for Him.

His people: It's the people who I live and work with that are entrusted with the majority of what I imagine could be - might be - should be. The church. The people.

My job as pastor is to love them and try to keep them open to the possibilities of life with God. To the vision of what the church we love can be. And aware of what we can do together with God.

And so I imagine.

I imagine a group of people so in love with God and each other that they can't wait to leave our worship gathering to go and tell others what God has done and is doing and invite them to see.

I imagine our church being on the speed-dial for the school principals, the older Americans council, the city commissioners, other nonprofits and the people in our neighborhoods because when someone needs a hand they KNOW we'll be there in a hurry.

I imagine getting a phone call telling me about a service ministry project that has already been done that I didn't even know about.

I imagine children and youth growing up learning about Jesus, becoming followers of Him, and taking their love for Him to their schools, and out in service.

I imagine young men and women leading us into worship, into service. Going off to school and instead of leaving church, coming back and investing their lives in it because they know God is at work there.

I imagine older people serving as mentors and helping out in the neighborhood schools, refusing to see retirement as anything but a greater opportunity to serve God and their neighbors.

And I imagine walking with them all through the joys and the heartaches, sharing our lives and our love for God together for the rest of my life.