I'm NOT just talking about Daylight Savings Time in that headline, though you don't want to miss that this weekend! I'm talking about LIFE, and all that it entails!

What a HUGE blessing last Sunday was! Walking into the Sanctuary to worship being led by Craig & Stacy Littlejohn (Stacy was a part of my Youth Group here years ago ... Craig was a Bible College Intern with us when they met and eventually married) ... videos from people in my life both present and past ... an incredible tribute from Pastor Jack Hayford (current President of The Foursquare Church) in the form of a wonderful framed certificate.

Johnny had put together what became a very special day for Colleen and I. We had just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on March 15, and last December 1 marked 20 years that I have been here at NewHeart. There were even video greetings from Police Department leaders and community business people I've become acquainted with over the years.

Johnny threw in the tag of my 40th birthday last September marking half of my life spent in ministry here. I just can't put into words what a tremendous honor it was. We were so overwhelmed by the display of love and appreciation.

Thank you, NewHeart, for making this such a wonderful celebration for us! Oh, and by the way, the two-night gift at our favorite hotel in Ventura ... well, we had plans to spend the first couple nights of April in Solvang to celebrate our anniversary. Is God's timing good or what? Solvang unraveled two days after the celebration, so the Ventura gift comes just in time!

Have you ever heard anyone use the phrase, "The only constant thing in life is CHANGE!"? That's so true! And it's one thing I've seen over my 20 years of ministry, both in the Church as well as in our great city. It's also one thing that just doesn't seem to stop!

Get your hearts ready, folks, because change remains in the air!! You'll hear more later this month, so keep your ears open. One exciting place of change is in our Nursery. We open it on April 9, and it's coming together! Our kids are going to love it, and I think our parents and workers will too!

We had planned to move our Sunday Celebrations to Township Elementary School on Sunday, April 23, anticipating the start of construction on our Sanctuary expansion. That's another area of change occurring as I write.

As bids have come in much higher than we anticipated, we are working on revamping some of our plans. I don't know all of what it's going to look like yet, but it is coming together fairly quickly. Quick enough to probably reveal those changes by the end of April.

For now, we will NOT be moving the Sanctuary quite yet. We have rescheduled that move for June in the hope and anticipation that the revisions will save us both time and money, now and into our future. And I have to tell you, the changes being hashed over are exciting as well! I can't wait to share them with you once we have them hammered out!

Did someone say that 2006 is the year of BECOMING at NewHeart? Change requires flexibility, and I am learning to become more flexible than ever. Will you join me on that journey? I'm finding Jesus is on it ... moreso than I ever would have thought!

Finally, Easter is just a couple weeks away! Are you ready? Is your heart ready? Are you inviting those around you to come and enjoy? Times, they are a'changin' ... are you?