Funny how having a baby can totally change your life.  I was looking at the last day I updated my blog and I was shocked at how quickly time has passed.  It seems just like yesterday that I wrote my last update...but I think that is because I have not really slept since Eli's birth.  So technically it was "yesterday."  The funny thing is, several people told Melissa and I that if we could handle two kids, then having three would be a piece of cake.  Right now I'm trying to remember who told me that (so I can hunt them down and tell them they gave false information) and I'm trying to remember if they actually had kids or not (typical that someone would give advice even though they had not experienced it...lol). 

With all funniness aside, having children is one of the greatest life teachers God gives people.  With the addition of our third, Melissa and I are experiencing a whole new set of emotions, and the growing responsibility of raising children in this world.  But what does that have to do with a devotional blog and the lack of keeping up with it for 2 months?  Very simply this, in life we all have to determine what is most important to us.  I have found over the last several weeks that I've had to readjust my priorities to keep life in balance as a pastor, friend, husband and father.  To do so requires that some things take a backseat to the more imporant things in life.  Yes, I still keep office hours, prepare sermons, counsel, and am still available to see you if you want to take me to lunch...ha ha...or if you want to just drop by.  But what I've learned is that life will bring you certain reminders that some experiences are more important than others.  Dropping some details of life in order to maintain ultimate priorities is wise...and often times down right necessary.

You're probably thinking...ok you just gave a lame excuse for not keeping up with details...way to go.  Ha ha, but not really if you think about what is about to happen in the lives of millions of people over the next few days.  As a New Year approaches and with it all the countless possibilities, people from all walks of life will make resolutions with great intentions.  Yet most will struggle to keep them.  Some people will even avoid making resolutions because they know they will break them sooner than they are made.  Here is the secret...drop something!  If there are important priorities in your life, but other things are consuming your time and resources, then create some margin to put your focus back on the most important items.  For me it meant cutting out some areas for a season to be able to be a good father as my wife and I adjusted to 3 young lives around us.  Then as I readjusted I'm able to learn to balance more and keep up with more.  It is the same for you.

As I prepare for this Sunday and our New Year at Calvary, I want to get you to begin to think on what is most important in your life.  This Sunday I'm going to give you one of the most important challenges you could receive as a Christ follower.  It is one of the most overlooked opportunities in our busy lives.  But if we had to drop something to keep up with this one thing, I would guarantee you that this one thing is worth dropping all else for.  Lining up our priorities with God's ultimate priorities creates the opportunity to be most effective and successful in life.  Look forward to sharing one with you on Sunday.

~Michael~