What a Year!

As each year closes, we often take time to reflect on the events of the year. For the Faughn family, it has been quite a year.

It really started on December 30, 2007, when we agreed to move to Nashville to work with Lebanon Road. On January 1, we sold our house in Haleyville (no kidding!). On January 6, we had to share the news with the wonderful people at 9th Avenue, just one day after the close of the annual youth rally (and record attendance!). It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done to announce we would be leaving, but, as we would expect, the great folks in Haleyville were so supportive.

As the weeks passed, we prepared to move and prepared for Lads to Leaders. We bought our house in early March, and moved on the 30th, after having a wonderful Lads to Leaders convention with greatly talented young people from 9th Avenue.

From April on, you have followed the updates on this blog. The work at Lebanon Road continues to be very rewarding, and the congregation is too good to us. God truly is good!

In last Sunday’s bulletin, I put the names of all the changes that have occurred at Lebanon Road in 2008. I’d like to reproduce that list here.

Births
Billy Hutchens, III (August 7)
Jude Daniel Buckner (November 6)

Deaths
Brownie Sandlin (January 24)
Campbell Clark (February 14)
Ruth Hastings (February 18)
Mary Katherine Sparkman (April 16)
Charlie Harris (July 2)
M.E. Etheridge (September 12)
Bill Hutcherson (September 22)
Sid Cox (October 30)
Elsie Flatt (October 30)

Baptisms
Rhonda Huddleston (March 9)
Sophia Bacon (June 15)
Aaron Bell (July 6)
Jakobe Reed (July 22)
Bailee Ballard (July 23)
Callie Cornell (July 24)
Aly Haney (July 24)

Restorations
Taylor Bell (March 9)
Rebecca Hill (March 9)
Lauren Roberson (March 9)
Jeremy Pardue (May 7)
Pam Dunaway (July 20)
Courtney Roberts (July 22)
Kaitlin Strine (July 24)
Rachel Pugh (July 24)
Hailey Smith (July 24)

Placed Membership & Children of Families
J.D., Maria & James David Buckner (January 1)
Michael, Connie & Blake Rader (March 12)
Gavin & Rachel Hammers (March 19)
Gene Duke (March 30)
Adam, Leah, Mary Carol & Turner Faughn (April 1)
Harry Parman (May 18)
Gene & Margie Mullen (June 15)
Clyde Mullen (June 15)
Jean Welch (June 29)
Curt & Gaye Hickey (July 6)
Randall, Jessica & Sarah Linam (August 10)
Peggy Black (September 21)
Janean Person (September 21)
Everett & Betty Green (October 15)
Grey & Abby Holland (December 7)
Bill & Jordan Wolfe (December 14)
Stephen Kerstiens (December 21)
Steve, Mary Catherine Thompson, Katie Grace & Cross (December 28)

As you can see, a lot of people have come to worship with us, and we are pleased. There is still work to be done, though!

2008 was also the year I discovered Podcasting! I now listen to several, and it has become and invaluable tool to me as I listen to sermons and other material as I visit, commute, and rest.

Even though I listened to many, I still was able to complete my goal of reading 40 books this year. Here’s the list:

Five Point Play (Mike Krzyzewski)

What Every Family Needs

Faith and Finance

Building Stronger Families

Richland Hills & Instrumental Music

Isaiah (Truth for Today Commentary)

The Meanest Man in Texas

John (James Burton Coffman Commentary)

America’s Real War

The Cast of the Cross

Song of Solomon (Neill)

Seven Things a Loving God Hates

Minister’s Manual for churches of Christ

Before I Die

Revelation 1-11 (Truth for Today Commentary)

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (10th Anniversary)

Choosing Gladness

Every Life a Plan of God

Fullness of God

Revelation 12-22 (Truth for Today Commentary)

Twice Adopted

Job (Swindoll)

Divine Design

A Glimpse into God’s Heart

The Ten(der) Commands

Preaching Christ Crucified

Books, Books, and More Books

Between Two Worlds

Searching for Truth

The Gospel According to the Apostles

God’s Way Is Still the Best Way

Valvano

So You Want to Be Like Christ?

From Slaves to Conquerors

Failing Forward

The NET Bible

You’re Singing My Song

Whose Money Is It Anyway?

David: The Man Who Had the Heart to be King

The Applause of Heaven

Reviews of any of these books can be found on this blog. Just use the search box above the first post.

While this does not represent everything that happened in 2008, it gives a thumbnail sketch of things. Our kids continue to grow, and we continue to be busy with them.

On a personal note, thank you for making 2008 by far the most successful year for our blog, in terms of hits and links. We continue to enjoy working on the blog, and we hope it helps you in some small way. In 2009, please pass the word along to someone about Faughnblog. We hope this tool is used to promote the truth of Christ to as many as possible

–Adam, Leah, Mary Carol & Turner