"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." —Luke 12:48

As we travel through the first part of 2013, Jesus’ words in Luke have been a powerful reminder to me—and to all of us who call Willow home. When we are in relationship with Christ, we have been given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. With so much entrusted to us, how could we do anything other than give God our very best?

I’ve appreciated the powerful stories (not to mention the pictures of your chairs!) you have shared about the impact God is making in your life as you invest 15 minutes or more of your day connecting with Him through His Word. When we individually draw nearer to God and better understand the spiritual gifts He’s given us, we as a body cannot help but boldly move forward.

A key element in being able to do this is ensuring we have the time, capacity, and energy to give God our best. How can we show others God’s love when we are overwhelmed, overscheduled, and exhausted? May we all continue to take steps to simplify our lives in the coming weeks and months.

Of course, being overwhelmed is a good thing when it comes to God’s goodness. The first quarter has included an ever-increasing commitment to stewardship within our church, leaving our leadership team amazed at your generosity.

Then again, you are living out what friend Robert Morris taught us: We need to place God first in all areas of our lives.

During a recent weekend, we worshiped God by singing Matt Redman’s song, “10,000 Reasons.” As I heard thousands of you pouring your hearts out to God, I could only echo the song’s lyrics:

Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

Let’s keep doing our best. God deserves it!