god, i am so amazed by you…

I’ve never been a crying person but the last few years, for whatever reason, I’ve been so easy to cry. I could be watching Dumb and Dumber and I’ll start tearing. So, let me warn you in advance:

This week: I’m going to cry like crazy.

It’s not because of my 41st birthday on Thursday but because Quest Church will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary on Sunday.

Even watching the 5 year Anniversary video above [RSS readers, click here], I couldn’t stop crying. So much has happened out of ‘nothing.’ Certainly out of two people with nothing to boast of ourselves and yet, God created something unique:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9-10

It is surreal to look back and marvel at the journey thus far:

• Minhee and I (and our 2 year old and 2 week old daughters) ventured forth to start this church. I was only 31 at that time and honestly, not quite sure what I was doing. Minhee had just arrived to the US only three years prior to starting Quest.
• We had 7 people come to our home for our first ‘info meeting.’
• I worked as a janitor for the first 6 months trying to make ends meet.
• From the first few months of our church, two people are still with us know. I will never ever have enough love for George and Jin. From the Sunday we launched the church, 8 people are still with us now. 8. The crazy 8.

The past few weeks, we’ve been going through pictures and stories – as we put together our 10 year video and in preparation for my sermon…

There’s so much to write and share – and hopefully, in the coming weeks, I’ll be able to share some significant “chapters” of Quest and some important lessons I’ve learned about churchplanting and leadership that I hope will be of encouragement to those who are currently or will be planting churches.

But as I reflect upon the past decade, the only words I have:

“God, I am so amazed by you.”

If you’ve ever prayed for us, encouraged us, served with us, worshipped with us,  gave to our ministry, or simply blessed us in any way:

Thank you.

And if you’re anywhere in the larger Seattle area, my wife and I would be so honored and blessed if you joined us for our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration this Sunday at Whittier Elementary School. Service is at 10am and we’ll have a special Feast afterwards.