August 14, 2025
Dear Central Church,
It’s “back to school” season! Our youngest son, Luke, started his first day of the 10th grade this morning! I know he’s going to do great, but this first day of school felt a little different. This month marks a new season in my life—one I’ve never experienced before. Our oldest son Paul, is heading off to college! While my heart is full of pride and excitement for him, I’ll admit there’s a part of me that feels the ache of change. Life has a way of moving us into unfamiliar territory, and sometimes it comes faster than we expect.
In the middle of it all, I’ve been holding tightly to the words of Lamentations 3:22–24:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will hope in him.’”
What a gift to know that no matter how our seasons shift, God’s faithfulness never does. His mercies meet us fresh each day—whether it’s the first day of school, the first day in a new job, or the first day walking through an unexpected trial. In every change, the Lord remains our portion, our anchor, and our hope.
We experienced this first-hand when we moved our family from Bentonville to Kansas City almost 3 years ago. Paul and Luke were in the 10th and 7th grades then, and we have seen God’s faithfulness and blessing to our entire family through that transition. This is a new season, but I’m trusting in God’s perfect track record to continue to provide. He always has and he always will!
I don’t know what “new season” you might be stepping into right now, but I do know this: the same God who has carried us this far will carry us still. We can trust Him fully, because His faithfulness is not seasonal—it’s eternal.
I hope to see you Sunday as we continue our “Questions of Jesus” sermon series. We’ll be looking at Mark 3, where Jesus asks a very interesting question, “Who is my family?” Join us as we celebrate the grace of God that makes us a part of his eternal family!
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark