To God Be the Glory: Celebrating TWO 11-Year Anniversaries

Today marks the 11-year anniversary of my first day of ministry at Crestway Baptist Church. In some ways, it feels like I’ve been here forever—and in others, like I just arrived yesterday.

This also marks 11 years (plus a week or so) since I returned to Birmingham and began the incredible privilege of serving again at Leeds Valley Church (formerly Valley View Baptist Church).

I remain deeply grateful that the Lord brought me to both Crestway and Valley View, and for the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ with whom I’ve had the honor of ministering side by side.

Would you join me in thanking the Lord for the ministry opportunities He continues to bring into my life? And please continue to pray that I would be a faithful messenger of God, always ready to share the Gospel with everyone He places in my path.

To God be the glory for the countless ways He has allowed—and continues to allow—me to serve Him. Over these 11 years, I’ve been blessed to:

• Receive love, encouragement, support, and correction from Christ-following friends
• Study God’s Word deeper and grow through the work of the Holy Spirit in my life
• Minister alongside faithful saints at both churches
• Pray with and for countless people all over the world
• Counsel women facing deep spiritual and emotional struggles
• Hold the hands of beloved Christ-followers as they stepped into eternity
• Learn from godly men and women how to live and teach biblical truth
• Teach a wonderfully unique group of senior adult ladies in Sunday School
• Lead women’s Bible studies
• Serve with a Christ-centered team helping those battling addiction
• Disciple women both locally and globally
• See God open doors for my writing to be published
• Co-write with my lifelong missionary kid cousin from Nigeria, and two dear brothers in Christ.
• Meet, encourage, and assist pastors in our Baptist association
• Collaborate with dear brothers, mentors, and ministry partners
• Speak and teach at women’s, biblical counseling, and addictions conferences
• Grow through Christian writers groups that challenge and encourage me
• Mentor and teach other writers
• Play piano for worship services, weddings, funerals, residential facilities, and more
• Edit and review manuscripts for fellow authors
• Encourage others to engage with missions and support missionaries
• Make many new friends
• And so much more—too much to list and more than memory can hold!

What might the next 11 years hold? Only the Lord knows—but I’m excited to find out!

As I reflect on these 11 years of ministry, I’m reminded of the prayer in Psalm 90:17: “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” This verse captures my heart’s desire—that the Lord’s grace would rest upon every effort, every conversation, every lesson taught, and every life touched. I know that only He can give lasting value to the work I do. I pray the Lord will continue to enable me to view all things through their eternal significance—and to glorify Him in every word, every action, and every opportunity to share the Good News. My hope is that the seeds planted over the years would bear fruit that endures, not because of my strength, but because of His favor and faithfulness.