2009 Year In Review
The Good, The Bad, and The Continually Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Looking Life of Wade Lowrey
A year in review. One thing I am thankful for is that I journal every day at least 300 words. It is a discipline I picked up back in 2005 that I have enjoyed a lot. For myself to do a year in review I can literally go to my personal journal site and read through the various entries with dates as I reflect on the past year.
So let’s start off!
Year In Review:
The Good of 2009
GatorWade Marketing
I have to confess that this past year has been the most enjoyable, highest profitable, and least stressful year for GatorWade Marketing. I have to say that I am thankful that 18 months ago I sat down to study and to open myself up to being mentored on how to be successful doing Internet Marketing.
My dream has always been to do full-time pastoral ministry of some time while being free to support myself. I have been blessed greatly ever since I transitioned from Emboss to GatorWade Marketing. I am thankful for the blessing of God through this exciting business as well as the freedom to serve and minister to others as needed.
Dorm Parent – Strong Hall at Ozark Christian College
I will never forget the day in late April when I received a call from the Dean of Students at Ozark Christian College. I first received a message and remember thinking, “What on earth is this about?”
Two weeks later I told Monte that I was both excited and honored to be considered for the position and that I would love to do it. Three months later I moved in and just last week finished my first semester as a Dorm Parent in Strong Hall at OCC, my undergrad college. My life has filled with incredible friendships, opportunities to serve, and I confess the blessing back is more than I can describe right here. It is just great to be serving at Ozark as well as alongside SDO including the other dorm parents. i can say this, all the dorm parents ‘want to be dorm parents’. It makes for a great team atmosphere and a lot of joy to share with one another. I am deeply blessed by all the men of Strong Hall and thankful for the work that God is doing in their lives.
Daily Jesus
I knew all along that I’ve always wanted to learn how to do ministry online because it combines two things i both love and know well. Daily Jesus launched back in June of this year not realy knowing the direction it would go.
It opened the door for me to preach weekly online, blog, and just share what was on my heart at the time. It has sense grown and continues to grow for new Christian bloggers and writers who want to contribute or who want to blog but need a place to get started and learn before moving to their own blog.
This December, Daily Jesus has become one of the top 200,000 top websites in the world. We have a membership list of over 6,000 members and a daily readership over 300, which in other words is not easy folks; especially in the Christian market.
I am looking forward to the year ahead as Daily Jesus grows to providing live video services including teaching, sharing, and music. We will continue to focus on becoming more ‘daily’ with Daily Jesus. It has been an exciting oulet for me to keep preaching and connecting with those that show up. I also look forward to the site growing in the areaas of missions and daily teaching.
Thus Far!
So far in my update I have only been sharing ‘the good’ that involves my time on a day-to-day basis. I have not purposesfully left out friends and family.
One thing I am thankful for is the health of my immediate family and God’s provision in work during difficult times for a lot of others. I am thankful that my parents, two sisters and their spouses all have had steady work during the past 24 mo. recession.
I am thankful to still live within 30 minutes of my youngest sister Jeana and able to see them often during the year and visit with/watch my niece and nephew.
The Bad of 2009
While 2009 has been a year of wonderful blessings I have to confess the year started on the extreme side. This past January/February both my grandmother and an uncle passed away within a week of one another.
It is weird to type this and know this is my first Christmas without my Grandma Lowrey, seeing a For Sale sign in her front yard, and going to Grandma’s on Christmas Eve is no longer an option.
While I do miss her she is a far better place and that is the bitter/sweet of losing someone you love yet know they are much better!
The week before my grandmother passed away I had an Uncle pass away in a car accident on his way to work. I confess that was shocking. I am thankful that despite the tragedy my Aunt is doing well although of course she has her moments especially around this time of the year. I am thankful that my parents have greatly stepped up and visit with her and talk with her multiple times during the day. My parents are great example of demonstrating sacrifice and putting others needs above their own.
The Continually Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Looking Life of Wade Lowrey
I think the area I have grown the most over the past year in my walk and growth in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, centers around one word: gift.
Let me share one Scripture that has really stretched me this year:
John 4:10
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
The phrase “if you knew the gift of God…” has shouted at me all year long.
It has humbled me in one specific area:
That Jesus Christ really is a gift of God.
It really is difficult for me to understand the concept of a ‘valuable’ gift that I completely do not deserve. I live in a world that says I have so many rights and deserve so many things that the concept of a gift that I do not deserve is a difficult starting point when understanding that Jesus Christ is exactly that.
There is nothing about me that deserves any gift from God, especially Jesus Christ. There is no good in me, I have rebelled to some degree every day of my life against an all Almight and Holy God. I do not deserve Jesus.
Yet God still did something for me.
There is nothing in me or in anyone that warrants the extreme grace and love found only in Jesus Christ. God was not up in Heaven just admiring ‘mankind’ and all the great things about him. God was not saying, wow, those humans treat me so well, honor me all the time, and choose to follow me because I’m the Creator.”
The truth is God was furious with man and it is only by God’s sovereign ‘choice’ that He loves us enough to send His one and only Son Jesus Christ.
That just humbles me. It was God’s choice to send Jesus. it was God’s choice to love me. Nothing I ever did, said, or thought that impressed God. It was God’s decision to love me. It is not something I deserve.
I am thankful for the sovereignty of God which flows from His Glory.
Now everything I just mentioned above I have always known but this past year it has just been shouting to me as I have read through Scripture.
Jesus told the woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you…” it is my heart’s prayer and desire for all those I will interact with and enounter in 2010 to make that gift of God known to them through the preaching and sharing of the gospel message. That really is at the core of my heart’s desire in 2010.
Oh, and I’m also thankful to be Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Looking!
May His Glory be made known among the nations in 2010 and it is my prayer that His good purposes for my life continue to be lived out in faithfulness to the who lives and reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.
Until next year,
Wade Lowrey
Last 5 posts by Wade Lowrey
- Remaining in God's Rest - November 5th, 2010
- Im Kind Of A Big Deal - Jesus - October 29th, 2010
- Soldiers Surprsing Their Loved Ones - June 11th, 2010
- Happy Hour Vs. Oh Happy Day - June 8th, 2010
- Nick Vujicic Christian A Powerful Testimony - June 7th, 2010
