2009...

So we are now 7 days into this new year. As always I am interested in speculating as to what position West Ham will be in at the end of the season (hopefully we will avoid a relegation dog fight but that depends on the financial situation I guess!); I have made great plans as to how many books I would like to read this year; I am wondering where we will go on holiday.

But this is no ordinary start to a year, in fact I don't even feel like the last year has ended yet due to the awaited birth of Baby Taylor. At this time, amongst the futile things that my mind ponders on, there are three major thoughts on my horizon which easily surpass everything else:

1) What will it be like to actually be a dad?

I have dreamt about it, prayed about it and thought about it for years now, but now the time is almost upon me - I am going to be a dad. Things like will the baby and B be well, how do the finances all work, how much reading will I actually get done!

I have many more questions that don't need to be aired here, and I am also aware that my questions are different to B's (evident from our midwife appointment on Monday). All I know is that I want to be the best husband that I can be and the best father that I can be, because I know that those two things bring glory to God.

2) What does God have for me and B in this coming year in terms of spiritual growth.

I could never imagined that last year would have panned out as it did. God did and he had used the events of last year to grow me in ways that I wasn't expecting. All this leaves me in a sense of excitement and and righteous trepidation as to what is to come in 09. Being a dad will change my out look on things of this I am sure, however I know that it is God who actually will do this that I might be able to display His love and grace more and become more like Jesus.

3) What will our church look like at the end of 2009?

In this year I would love to see more salvation in our church whether through programs, Sunday mornings, cell groups or through individuals leading their friends to Jesus in their work places, over the garden fence or at the school gate.

I would love to see more of heaven invading earth in healings and signs and wonders.

I would love to see a greater outpouring of His Spirit that we may be a people who walk in step with His will and we like Jesus will do what we see the Father doing.

I would love to see new people added to us and new people stepping up into different responsibilities in church life.

I will not list everything that I would love to see that could take a while but what I do know is that we will only see these things when we start to earnestly seek Him and expect Him for these things. I need, to pursue him for the desires that he has given me, that His will will be done here in Reading.

I'm going to be a dad!!!

After a great weekend meeting with God and his people, watching West Ham play live and going to yet another wonderful wedding, the best was waiting to be revealed.

B and I went to the hospital today to have our 12 week scan. We are officially going to be parents. The Lord has blessed us with this great news after 20 months of trying. It has been a time of digging in with God and trusting that he knows best. We have had to persevere and lean into him knowing that he is totally in control of all things.

It was absolutely incredible to see the movement of our baby for the first time and to remember the words in Jeremiah that God knits us together in our mothers womb. Our BT (baby Taylor) has arms and legs and of course a head, we saw BT's spine and which we saw as he/she proceeded to stretch, turn over and go back to sleep.

I should imagine that I will be keeping up to date over the coming six months as to what is happening regarding the pregnancy, but all I know now is that I am both relieved and ecstatic that all is well and I am so grateful to God for all his amazing blessings.