First Half of the Year

We are nearing the end of the first half of the year in a matter of weeks. If you had asked me in early February, the final month of my pastorate that I would be writing my second book in 2026, I would think it was something near impossible. But with God nothing is impossible. I prayed just before I started writing again on 5th February 2026 that just as Nehemiah finished building the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, the writing of my commentary John 17-21 would also take 52 days at least for the first draft.

Lo and behold, God's power is great and He delights in answering our prayers so that our joy might be full (John 14 and 16). Obviously, revisions and then corrections after my proofreader had come back to me took another month or so, making the whole exercise of writing the book and getting it ready for publication in less than 4 months, even counting the 5 or 6 weeks which I took to write and comment on John 13-16 in Sept-October 2024 just before I signed up to accept the offer of a pastorate that lasted 15 months from Dec 2024 to Feb 2026. 

I do miss my church (it is the Lord's church that's why I resigned when I felt it was Christ's will that I did so). Jesus' commission to Peter in John 21 -  the first thing Jesus asked Peter was "do you love Me more than these ones?" referring to his fellow disciples. If one serves God he has to love God above the church or believers because there will be times God would ask you to leave the church and to be with Him alone and follow Him in a different way. It is not that we become churchless but Jesus Christ is above all and when the church is corrupt or the leaders in it are corrupt, there are times one has to depart and let God deal with His people. 

But the first half of 2026 is filled with great memory in three main parts. The first two months, finishing my work at a local church, saying goodbyes and giving final exhortations to my members, some of whom until today are in contact with me. 

The second part was resuming writing after almost 17 months as pastor during which time I could not write anything, despite having Mondays off. In less than 100 days from 5th Feb until middle of May I worked day and night, sometimes getting up at 3am and working on my book. Obviously if I got up before 4am I would have a nap in the afternoon and continued writing from 4pm to about 9pm with dinner in between. 

The third part started on 1st June after about one week's break in between that I attended the Pastors' Conference at the end of May. Now I have written more than 10 pages on my new book. It is going to be my 9th book, the Lord willing but the 8th is still not here. Halleluyah!