So many cheesy phrases come to mind when I read the first chapter of The Story. Most of them are from serving in Children’s Ministry, but even Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music, begins singing in my head, “Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start…” Please forgive any cheesiness that finds its way into this blog. Then, as I delve deeper into the text, I feel as though I’m reading Tolkien or Lewis, and the realization that their best inspiration for the stories they wrote are reflections of the greatest story ever recorded, The Story of God and His People also known as the Bible.

As I read the first chapter of The Story, I am amazed again at the beauty of our story, and three words came to mind…Creation, Redemption, and Promise. Our God created everything out of nothing. Our God separated the light from the dark, divided the waters into the seas and the skies, and invented all creatures. Our God made male and female in his image. WOW! Wait…it gets better. Through the temptation of Eve, then Adam, God continues to write our story. God removes our curious hero and heroine from the Garden of Eden and gives them the promise of work and they create from their own abilities, children, food, and community.

Then, God sees how evil humanity has become, and God almost gives up on the human race. Noah, and his family, alone, find favor in the eyes of God. So, God tells Noah to build an arky arky, (c’mon, y’all know the song), and Noah builds a big boat to save his family and the animals from the flood. Through Noah, humanity finds redemption and the human race continues to be included in God’s story. The promise of the rainbow still stands as a promise for us today on this end of The Story.

This is an exciting time to participate in the life of the Singing Oaks Church of Christ. We are one month into 2014…beginning our church-wide campaign in The Story, and so many good things are being prayed over and led by our elders and ministers. Friends Day is this coming Sunday, January 26, and our weather forecast is sunny with temperatures in the sixties. There is no doubt that there are better days ahead for our faith community, but bask with me, for a moment, in the present and stretch out your legs, thrown your arms in the air, and breathe in deep. Thank God for this family, for this new beginning, for the people who cannot wait to see you on Sunday morning. Thank God for continuing to write his great story of creation, redemption and promise in our lives.