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Reflections on 2014

A Happy Place for me

A Happy Place for me

As an adult, it seems like the years just go by more quickly.  But 2014 flew by.  I will not say it was my hardest year, but it was a challenging one.  2014 saw my Dad recovering from his heart surgery (in late 2013).  Mom was diagnosed, had surgery and chemo for cancer.  It saw the end of my first year as president of my local Educational Office Professionals chapter and the start of my second year.  I served Arts Alive and Antioch and was challenged to grow in so many ways.  This year I got to go and visit the Mancuso’s in Maryland and really enjoyed my time there.  I got  to go on 3 trips to the NC Coast (Sunset & Holden Beaches).

The Lord taught me much as I went through 2014.  I must admit it was not my best year spiritually.  I struggled with lack of depth and depth in prayer.  The Lord and encouragement from godly friends like Nathan Heafner & Rob Mancuso helped in this.  Accountability is huge and I’m so grateful for godly brothers to encourage me and whom I can encourage.  I’m desiring to get back to journaling nights before bed to help me pray about and get things out.  It is a spiritual discipline that helps me and I saw the side-effects of not doing it consistently this year.

Another challenge to this year was turning 40 in November.  I think we all look at milestones like this and evaluate our lives.  Between the health challenges of my parents, my age, and other factors, I took a real look at my life.  I will not say that I’m a long-term planner but I do have expectations.  So some of the expectations I had have not been met yet.  But the Lord used this past year to challenge my expectations for what my life should look like.

In May, I was scheduled to go to the mountains on my yearly trip with Becks Reformed Church (home church to my part of the Allred family) to John’s River Valley Camp.  But the Lord had other plans.  My car’s radiator had to be fixed (thanks to Garry Holmes for all of his hard work on my car this year).  That put me in town and able to help out with Arts Alive’s production of Joe Bob.  It was a retelling of the story of Job.  I needed to hear the word of the Lord God was sharing through the play.  Things are just things and our plans can falter and fail.  But God is in control!  God is to be worshiped and adored regardless of circumstances.

The Summer (and even the winter) was a challenge at work because we had a lot of people retire, take time off for children, and move.  That meant a lot of new people to be hired.  But it has been good and the new staff are great.  But it meant that 3 of the strongest believers I worked with retired.  One of whom, Floyd Royal, and I had good conversations every day about a lot of things.  It is so cool that middle-aged white guy and an older black guy have so much in common and a share faith in Christ that knits it all together.  I’m excited for him on his next step, but will miss our talks.  All of the changes at work made me look at my job.  I do enjoy it and have plans, Lord willing, to be in the education environment until retirement.  I still think ALL education staff deserve better pay and wish more people would realize this.  I’m happy in the ways the Lord has used me there the last 12 years and am ready to continue to serve as His ambassador there.  It is challenging and being a leader is not an area I feel gifted in, but He is challenging and using me there and I’m grateful.

This year got to step up a little more with Arts Alive and be involved more often than just during production times.  That has been a prayer of mine for a while.  I’m grateful to be able to serve and see future generations of young folks learn to use the gifts they have been given to the glory of God!  Even there it is a challenge to grow in to areas I have not been used to and get out of my comfort zone.

This Fall/Winter kind of escalated things I have been feeling for a while.  Singleness.  I’m 40 now and not married.  Most of the people my age and younger are married with kids.  It is challenging.  Our church hosted its’ 4th Family Integrated Church Conference this fall.  One of the sessions was on ministry to and with singles in a FIC.  I submitted my thoughts to the presenters.  It was a very good session and I was encouraged. (Thanks Micah & Kari Fox and Amos & Ivey Archer for speaking and being encouraging to me.)  But being single in an FIC is a challenge, particularly at my age.  I feel out of place at times, but I know I have a place and a role to play.  I look at the marriages around me and see them in good times and bad and see the husband and wife lean hard on to the Lord.  It can be intimidating to be a man (single or not) in a godly church, but I have been learning to lean on God and take to heart that in my weakness (lack of gifting) He is shown strong.  I pray that the Lord continues to grow me up in Him and that I can, by Christ alone, have less sin in my life so I can be of better service to Him.  My desire is to serve Him in any way He calls me regardless of my marital status.  I admit this is hard at times, because I don’t think I have been given the gift of singleness.  But I know if and when the Lord brings a wife into my life, it will be a blessing.  Marriage only thrives because of surrender to Him and each other as He works in the midst.

On this front I was greatly inspired by Susanna Fox a young lady at Antioch.  She is a gifted writer and very good at making things (cool stuff on her Etsy shop).  Here is an excerpt from one of her blogs that inspired and encouraged me, I hope it does you as well.  (You can read the whole blog here)

“I didn’t have to worry about my future because I knew that as long as I loved God, whether married or single, I would not be inadequate. . . . For this upcoming year then, instead of spending time worrying about the future I hope to begin developing the qualities that every woman should have: kindness, humility, self-discipline, unconditional love, honesty and above all, a heart trained on worshiping the Lord.”

Good word Susanna, may we all desire to have a heart trained on worshiping the Lord!

Lastly, I think this year the Lord has continued to show me the value of relationships with others.  (A gallery of some of my photos shows some of this.  See it below the post) It is easy as an introverted person to pull back and be a homebody.  You can show up and in some ways participate without really being there.  Know what I mean?  The Lord has challenged me to be a part of the relationships I’m a part of.  I’ve activity supported my friends Love & Valor, by my webpage promoting them, going to their shows, sharing their music and being there for them.  I enjoy talking with participating with others online.  I’ve enjoyed catering with friends.  Work has been good and I’m trying to interact with others in a more meaningful way. I enjoy being a part of the podcast families of gspn.tvGolden Spiral Media and others.  I love going to and being a part of my church homegroup (one ended this year and a new one started).  I loved spending time with Rob & Amy, Meredith and Thomas this summer, just living life with them for a few days.  Rob, is a good brother and getting time to hang out was a blessing.  It has been a blessing to be in my Iron Man Group with Dan Lungren and Nathan Heafner (and others along the way).  Nathan has been a big encouragement to me.  I loved serving at Antioch and with the FIC Conference this year.  But I think what I loved most about this year is the family times.

I’m SO grateful to the Lord for both the Allred and Gentry sides of the family.  I had great times with all.  I was asked by Mark & Cindy Fox about Christmas and gifts.  I said the gifts were nice but the best part was the family time.  Really I’m blessed and don’t need gifts (but they are nice 🙂 ), but I cherish the family times.  God places us in our family and has called us (all through the bible) to honor and value family.  God established the church to be a place of group worship of Him and building each other up.  God invested His Son so that we can have a relationship with Him.  We do not need to neglect that relationship and the other ones He places in our lives.

So in closing I must say, it has been a challenging and growing year for me.  I stumbled and fell.  God picked me back up and used many of you to encourage me along the way.  Some in ways you might not know, but I’ll try to share with you personally.  I can say 2014 was a year of challenges and blessings.  I’m excited to see what the Lord does in 2015 and I desire to walk out the callings He has on my life.  I’m also anxious to see the new ways He has me to serve.  I pray He calls each of you into relationship with Him and to a deeper one with Him.  I pray He shows you how really blessed you are and I hope I can be there to encourage and help you along the way!

Delight yourself in The Lord Ps 37

Delight yourself in The Lord Ps 37

In Christ,

Geoff

 

About the author: I am a Christian who desires to serve the Lord daily. I enjoy blogging, photography, working with Mac’s, and enjoying music and TV. I have a heart to serve my church and on the mission field.

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