I can’t think of the last time I was this excited about a Sunday.

I get excited every Sunday but this Sunday is going to be special.

We are going to be studying Chapter 9 of Daniel, which is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  I am so eager to share the truth I am going to focus on in the message that I am going to go ahead and tell you now:

Confession is the first step toward restoration.

If you have every made a mistake or needed forgiveness (and that’s true for me every day) you don’t want to miss this message.  In a beautiful prayer Daniel tells God:

We are crying to You and asking for mercy, not because we are righteous and deserve it. No, we bring these petitions to you because we know of Your great mercy.

Daniel 9: 18

Sunday we get to celebrate and experience that good news.

And on Sunday I get to introduce you to the newest member of the Mountaintop leadership team, Ben Kuykendall who is joining us as our Creative Arts Pastor.

Ben and I began working together 13 years ago in California at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. When I left California to move to Texas, Ben joined me at Grace Presbyterian as my Director of Contemporary Music and as the Worship Leader for our contemporary service. As our Creative Arts Pastor, Ben will oversee all of our creative endeavors especially focusing on worship, communications and media technology.  Ben's leadership is going to strengthen our team in amazing ways.

On a personal level, Ben and I have been partners in ministry for more than a decade and I am so grateful that God is calling us to continue that partnership here at Mountaintop.

Ben and his wife Jenna (who led VBS music for us that last two summers)have three kids, Ryan (8 and entering third grade), Rachel (5 and entering first grade) and Sam (4 years-old who will be at MountainTots).  Ben and Jenna will both be part of our worship services this Sunday and you will have a chance to welcome them to the Mountaintop family.

I am so excited about this Sunday and you don’t want to miss out so join us at 9:30 or 11:15 on campus or online.  And what if this week you invite someone to join us so that together we can learn and share a better way to live.