Twelve
Twelve years! Do you remember when you were twelve years old? You were on the verge of becoming an adolescent. Soon you would no longer be considered just a “kid”—you would be a teenager!
I remember being a star Little League baseball player as a twelve-year-old. Like Barry Bonds, I was in a race to set the single season home-run record in my city. However, in spite of my name being in the paper every week, I could hardly wait to turn thirteen because then I would be in the Babe Ruth League. There you played by the same rules used by grown ups. You could take leads off of the base and tag up on fly balls, just like the Red Sox!
As far as education, twelve was the end of grammar school. It was time for junior high school, which meant I would be changing classrooms to go from English to math, rather than staying in Mr. Ferraro’s room all day since he taught all my classes.
And yet, while twelve places one on the edge of a new stage in life, twelve also represents the end or the completion of the stage in which one currently find himself. As much as I wanted to be in the Babe Ruth League, I would miss seeing my name in the local paper every week. And as much as I looked forward to moving from classroom to classroom in junior high, I would miss being in the senior class of grammar school.
I’m writing on the significance of twelve because on June 3rd I celebrate my twelfth year as senior pastor of Pentecostal Tabernacle. Much has happened in those years. In my family life, my oldest daughter will legally become a woman and my wife and I were finally able to purchase a home. At PT, our congregation has grown dramatically, paid staff has increased, renovations have taken place, and most importantly, many lives have been changed by the grace of God.
So rather than look forward to the challenges and excitement of getting to my teen years as a pastor, I think I’ll sit back this week and appreciate God’s blessings in my life with regard to the last twelve years. I hope that you will take time out to do the same, no matter in which stage of life you currently find yourself. For, in spite of life’s challenges, God’s been good to all of us.
sending...
The year that I was 12 years old was also a wonderful year for me. I was in the 6th grade, which was actually my favorite school year out of all of my years as a student, from elementary school through even my college years. As a 6th grader, I was the top of the whole school. Sixth graders had privileges that the other students didn’t have. For one, if you had good grades at the end of each 6 weeks, you had the privilege of missing classes for a day and being the teacher assistant for your favorite teacher. I always chose to be the teacher assistant to my 4th grade English teacher, Mrs. Phillips.
It’s remarkable how people I met and experiences I had in elementary school, in particular my 6th grade year, have positively impacted me, even to this day. Recently I got reconnected with 2 teachers that I had when I was in the 6th grade. While I was home in Texas on break, I was telling myself, “I wonder if I will see Mrs. Strong. I sure would like to see Mrs. Strong again.” One day out of nowhere I was standing face-to-face with Mrs. Strong! Living in a city of nearly 350,000 people makes this a not so likely occurrence. Through her, I was able to get back in touch with another teacher I had in the 6th grade, Mrs. DiBenedetto. Now, nearly 12 years after I was their student at the age of 12, I have the opportunity to reunite with them when I return to Texas and establish friendships with these 2 Godly women.
At this point in my life, being days away from my graduation from Harvard, I can look back and see how God’s hand has been in my life from the beginning, enabling me to make it this far. I will become the first person in my family to receive a college degree, let alone a Harvard degree. As I was growing up, I didn’t aspire to go to Harvard, but God’s dreams for me were bigger than my own. All along He has placed people in my path that have helped mold me for the better and that have been a source of encouragement. Two of those people were Mrs. Strong and Mrs. DiBenedetto. I am so grateful to them and many, many others. It’s hard to believe that I’ve nearly doubled my years on this earth since I was their student at the age of 12, and it’s wonderful to be in a position to praise God with them, learn from them, and grow with them some 12 years later.
Hallelujah!!!
Crystal Smith
I can’t believe its been twelve years, both your ministry and walk speak for itself
I am so glad you are my bishop. I am so glad I came to PT. I am so glad we are church that believes in the power of prayer. I am so glad, glad, glad that I could do a dance right now. I don’t need any music : ) You and Lady Carmen are a huge blessing and example in my life. I love you both dearly. Congrats on 12 years. The best is yet to come. This is our year and yes it is Harvest Time.
Wow, If I could count up the series of years of 12…oh, “For If I Had 10,000 Tongues…..
I am so so blessed to be Celebrating Bishop’s 12 years– I getto get all dolled up and
I get to celebrate my “10th” at PT!!!!!!–(I am dancing now-don’t need no music either 🙂 🙂
When God has your steps ordered, they are ORDERED!
I am grateful and thankful for His ordering my steps and divinely directing me to PT under your anointed ministry Pastor Brian, and yes, THE BEST IS STILL YET COMING!