Drive down any street in HB/FV and you will see it, construction.  Last February my wife and I met with a contractor to put on paper our dream for the remodel of our home.  We have had a lot of time to dream because it has needed work since we moved in 11 years ago!  After a lot of planning and preparation the demo began in August.  It was so exciting to see the kitchen and two bathrooms stripped to studs.  For the last two months it has been even more exciting to watch myself and the four women who currently reside in the home (my oldest daughter is enjoying dorm life) share one bathroom and a kitchen located on the patio.  I have received lots of advice from others who have remodeled.  One guy said next time buy new.  Others have thought that it’s just not worth it to remodel.  One friend warned us that 75% of the couples who live in a house during a remodel are divorced within 5 years!  To which my wife quickly warned me, ‘That’s not going to happen to us!’  

For us this whole remodel adventure has many parallels with the Next Wave.  Our campus like our home was ready for redevelopment a while ago.  Our home and church campus is well worn, too small for the family, and just not up to 21st century needs and standards.  Will there be difficult times in the next few years and will some people ‘divorce’ the church over this?  Sure.  However, we have learned from our remodel that struggle is not a bad thing.  Struggle draws us closer as a family and strengthens us personally.  The struggle of the remodel and the struggle of the past years have prepared us to really appreciate the finished project.  Already, each day is a celebration as we walk through the house to see the completed work of the day.  Finally, we look forward to the new life that will be in our home as our kid’s friends and our friends return to hang out and experience the community that we treasure.  We even have distant neighbors interested in being in our home to check things out.  For many of these neighbors walking into a ‘ministers’ home is a huge risk!  So, I look forward to the struggles, celebrations & appreciation associated with the Next Wave.  And I can’t wait for the new life of the community we will share and our interactions with neighbors who will overcome the risk of stepping onto our campus to check it out.