“I’ll have a lobstah roll, please.” As I write this, I have just returned from a wonderful week away with my family—Emma’s graduation trip—a reminder to us of how quickly the years pass and how faithfully God guides us through every season of life. In Bar Harbor, ME, I sat stunned at the beauty of creation. And then, in Boston, walking through places rich with our nation’s history during Memorial Day weekend, I was reminded of the sacrifices that have secured many of the freedoms we enjoy today.
Vacations, celebrations, and special moments are gifts from the Lord. Yet during my prayer time today, I found myself thanking God not only for those experiences but also asking Him for grace to live faithfully in the ordinary days ahead. It is easy to look forward to the next vacation, holiday, or milestone and to unintentionally treat the everyday moments in between as merely something to endure. Scripture calls us to something better. Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The Christian life is not lived primarily in the extraordinary moments but in the daily opportunities God places before us to love Him, serve others, and advance His kingdom.
That truth feels especially relevant as we begin an exciting summer at Eastmont. On June 1, construction will begin on our Refresh & Renew project. Over the coming months, there will certainly be inconveniences and moments when things feel less familiar than we would prefer. Yet every temporary inconvenience points toward a greater purpose: creating spaces that will continue our legacy of encountering families with the Gospel.
That same week, we will launch Backyard Blast VBS. Rather than asking our community to come to us, we will be taking the gospel into neighborhoods throughout our area. What a privilege to meet families where they are, build relationships, and share the good news of Jesus with children and parents alike.
Both of these efforts remind us that kingdom work is often accomplished through ordinary faithfulness. Construction crews showing up each day, volunteers serving children in neighborhoods, adapting to temporary changes, conversations with neighbors, prayers offered quietly before the Lord—these may not seem like headline moments, but they are the very places where God meets His people.
As summer begins, my prayer is that we would enjoy the gifts God gives us—vacations, family time, and celebrations—while also embracing the opportunities He places before us each day. May we not simply live for the next special occasion, but find joy and purpose in the daily work of following Christ, trusting that He uses both the extraordinary moments and the ordinary ones for His glory.