Dan O’Deens Blogspot

Children come in all sizes and variations and kinds.   I happen to have 4 of my own!  4 teenagers!  What were we thinking?   Really…it’s all good!  My wife, Gay and I are so proud of our kids.   What really excites us is that they are all walking with Jesus.   In the midst of some very busy days, and very trying times, I can NEVER neglect my children they are part of the stewardship that God has entrusted to me…and I only get them for a short time.   I pray that we are pointing them in the right direction and equipping them to make wise choices as they seek their God!

Then there are our daughter churches.   It is always tough for a church to see some of the people they love…leave…to start new churches.   The tears of departure DO turn into smiles as we see what God is doing through them.   We are proud of Encuentro Latino and Elk Creek!  We love you guys!  …and we now wish the Gensel Tribe well, as they seek to plant our first house church network!   

And then, I was so STOKED this week!   I was talking to a guy who started coming to Gateway just a short while ago.   I listened to this fellow and was just heart broken for what he was going through.   I had to pause and ask him, if we could back up.   I told him about a Father, who loved Him.  About a Father more concerned about where he was going, rather than where he had been.  I told him how he could become a child of God.   I asked him if he wanted to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus?  He said, YES!   The Father has a new son, and we have a new brother!  Welcome to the family Bryan!

I am so proud of all the children God has entrusted to me!  To God be the glory!

Well, we did it!   What a great team!  I love the hard work and dedication of so many of our people.   It was such a delight to see the faces of so many people coming through the front doors.

PERSPECTIVE:   Several people came up to me and said, “You must be so happy, this is your dream come true.”   Although I AM so excited that our new building is near complete and that we now have our own space…I must say…

My dream come true was almost 2 services full of people whose lives have been changed.  To hear them testify that God is Great and how excited they are to be following Jesus and to have found such a great, friendly church is what JUICED ME UP!   

I can’t wait to see what God is gonna do in this next leg of our journey.   As Ed Young says, We’re taking it to a whole nutha level…but when you take it to a whole nutha level, there is a whole nutha devil.”   

Well…Gateway Church…God is on OUR side.   We are “taking it to the next level.”

I love you guys!