Welcome Back!

Saralynn and I are back from our anniversary vacation. OK, we’ve been back for a week, but it was a busy week – getting back to work, playing with the kids, etc. Oh, and celebrating our 10th anniversary, which was actually this last Thursday (2/22).

Church Update
Here was the prediction I made this past Sunday: “The year 2007 is the make-it or break-it year for Oak Tree Community Church. I believe this.”

During our time away I was able to do some reading, writing, and praying about OTCC. For the first time ever I put on paper the vision that God has given me for our church. On Sunday evening, March 11, we are going to have a special meeting / service where I’ll lay it all out, get people’s reactions and responses, and challenge the members and regular attendees to get on board. No one interested in God’s ministry at OTCC should miss this meeting (unless, of course, you live too far away – then I expect you to pray). 🙂

Personal Update
Neither Saralynn nor I had been on a cruise before, but we have decided that in order to determine whether we really like it or not, we should do it a second time (or maybe third, fourth). Really – we thoroughly enjoyed it. It not only allowed, but forced us, to leave a lot of “stuff” behind and focus on just us – especially since phone calls could cost up to $10 per minute to talk to people at home!

Here are a few pics of things that I found to be important enough to capture digitally.

My awesome wife of 10 years – first day on the ship, leaving from Miami, FL. Love you, babe!

The floating hotel we lived on for 7 days – the Carnival Valor

We snorkeled while in port at St. Thomas, USVI – Saralynn’s 1st time (she did great!)

Also, in St. Thomas lives one of the creators of Yoda. I’m shaking his hand in front of a life-sized Yoda.

Every evening we had a different “towel animal” on our bed when we returned from supper. Saralynn attended a hands-on demo and learned how to make things like this “cool” seal.

Scriptural Thought of the Week
The main object of this blog is reflected in its title. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul encourages Timothy to keep passing on the spiritual truths he has learned and to do it in a strategic way so that it never stops.

“…and the things you have heard from me among many witnesses, you must entrust these things to faithful people, who will be competent to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2 (my trans.)

It’s not just about teaching people the Bible. It’s about teaching specific people specific things that they can intentionally pass along to others. No one can know everything about the Bible, but everyone can know something. While we’re not all called to be formal Bible teachers (see James 3:1), we’re all called to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and that means passing along what we know for the building up of a fellow believer.

Quote of the Week
I’ve read so much over the last couple of weeks that picking just one quote is a pretty daunting task. So let’s skip it this time and start over with my next post.

Until next time,

Dan’l

The comments in this blog are always the personal opinions of Daniel Goepfrich and are not meant to be taken as official statements of Oak Tree Community Church, its staff, or its members.