Overflowing with thankfulness

I can’t even imagine.

If you had asked me nine years ago if I would ever move to Greenville, I would have said, “You’re crazy!” At that point, I was living in Raleigh and thoroughly entrenched in a community I had been a part of for fifteen years. Over the next year, however, God intentionally intervened and guided me to join His work in and through Covenant. Thank you, Lord!

Now, at the time you’re reading this, my eight (8) year journey with you as Covenant’s Executive Director has come to a close. He has once again interrupted my comfort zone, and Mary Lou and I are headed to Waco, Texas to complete a year-long discipleship training experience. Jesus obviously knows something that I don’t—so what’s new?

As I look back on the past eight years, I can’t imagine having not come to Greenville. What an enormous loss it would have been for me if I had not followed Jesus to the corner of Corey and Firetower Rd. So, as I look in the rear view mirror, let me say thanks to a variety of people who made a world of difference.

First, let me say thanks to David Brownlee and Branson. I have enjoyed serving under each of these gifted pastors. They both empowered me through trust and grace which fueled my motivation. It’s truly a powerful thing when ministry leaders create opportunities and space for disciples to leverage their God-given skills and spiritual gifts.

Second, let me say thanks again to an incredible staff that has been assembled at Covenant. In this past month I have sought to say thanks on many occasions and in many ways, but I can’t say it enough. These folks—as well as others before them—are truly committed to Jesus’ work in this community as well as their own lives. I am confident they will carry on effectively without me and invest their lives in others as Paul described to Timothy (2 Tim 2:2).

Next, I am grateful to numerous unpaid servants in this church who invest their heart, soul and resources to accelerate Jesus’ kingdom in and beyond the walls of the church. These leaders are so gifted, so willing, so faithful and so easy to work with. Trust me—I have worked in multiple churches, and Covenant is blessed. So was I as I sought to rally our leaders together to discern and obey God’s best. Leaders, I challenge y’all to keep abandoning yourself to His eternal purposes.

Last, but not least, I am grateful to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the patient love of the Father who always welcomes me unconditionally no matter what, for the grace of Jesus who faithfully forgives me on the basis of His resurrection authority, and for the power of the Holy Spirit, which acts on Jesus’ behalf to accelerate my faith. Together, they are the only explanation for whatever success I have enjoyed.

So my prayer for you, Covenant, is the same as Paul’s for his friends at Ephesus (3:15-19): For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

With gratitude in my heart for God,
Charlie