https://www.facebook.com/404228792994859/

Aaron Minick, Smyrna, TN (2026)

06/05/2026

Julie asked me yesterday, "What are you feeling?"

Honestly?

I feel guilty.

I feel guilty that I'm not under constant pressure, stress, or scrutiny.

I feel guilty that I'm not carrying the weight of the church.

I feel guilty that I've had time this week to do things I enjoy.

I feel guilty that my phone hasn't rung with a crisis to deal with.

I thought I would spend this week in mourning, and dealing with the emotions of vision not being completed.

Instead, I felt guilt.

And that's when something hit me:

Pastor, don't let anyone normalize that kind of pressure as if it's healthy.

It's not.

Constant stress isn't a badge of honor.

Living under relentless pressure isn't proof of faithfulness.

Carrying burdens God never asked you to carry isn't ministry.

Sometimes you don't realize how heavy the load was until God gives you permission to put it down.

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28

Rest is a true gift from The Son, bringing a time of restoration. It’s a time for unhealthy habits and notions to unravel.

Rest is healing.

Video: My nights have been filled with catching fireflies with Brooklyn…❤️

06/03/2026

We built a tent on Safari Drive.

Not a building.

Not a sanctuary with stained glass windows.

A tent.

Some people may never understand that. To the world, it may not look like much.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize how biblical that really was.

Throughout Scripture, tents were places of meeting, worship, preparation, and transition.

Abraham lived in tents while waiting on God's promises.

Moses met with God in the Tent of Meeting.

The Tabernacle itself was a tent before there was ever a temple.

And for a season, God chose a tent on Safari Drive.

Long before there was a tent, Julie and I would come out to that property to pray, dream, and ask God what He wanted to do with that land. There wasn’t even a road back there at first.

Over time, we built the road, filled in old campground swimming pools, installed hydrants, ran electric and water, cleared land, and watched God bring to life what He had placed in our hearts years before.

Over the years, we watched Him do things only He could do.

And as I sat there on Sunday, I realized something.

Maybe the tent was never just about the tent.

Maybe it was about obedience.

Maybe it was about saying yes when God asked us to take a step that didn't make sense to everyone else.

There were times (many times) we were laughed at for worshipping in a tent.

To some people, it seemed foolish.

I imagine Noah felt the same way when God told him to build an ark. Obedience rarely makes sense to everyone around you while you're building it.

But faith isn't about understanding everything.

It's about trusting God enough to obey Him anyway.

I don't understand everything about this season, and there are still questions I don't have answers to.

But one thing I do know is this:

God has been faithful.

And by His grace, we have been faithful too.

We were faithful with what He placed in our hands, even when it seemed small, insignificant, or misunderstood.

Maybe that was part of the test all along.

Not whether we would be faithful with much, but whether we would remain faithful with little.

Every prayer prayed mattered.

Every life touched mattered.

Every salvation, every baptism, every healing, every miracle, every moment spent in His presence mattered.

None of it was wasted.

As difficult as it was to drive away, I was reminded that tents were never meant to be permanent.

They were places where people encountered God before moving into the next season.

The tent served its purpose.

And for that, I am grateful.

Grateful for every person who walked onto that property.

Grateful for every moment God met us there.

And grateful that the same God who met us on Safari Drive is already waiting for us in the next chapter.

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." — Psalm 27:13

I still believe it.

And as we step into this next season, I hold tightly to His promise:

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" — Isaiah 43:19

We may not understand everything today, but one thing I know: we were faithful with what God gave us. We were faithful with the little. And I trust the Lord who said, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” — Matthew 25:21.

Thank You, Lord, for the tent.

Thank You for Safari Drive.

Thank You for teaching us that obedience matters more than understanding.

And thank You for what comes next.

06/02/2026

One of the things Julie and I would do when we came out to the property was walk the pad and dream.

We could take you on a complete tour of what was to come, even when all anyone could see was gravel.

We would stand there and say, "This is where the sanctuary will be." Then we'd walk a little farther and say, "This is where Kids Church will be." We'd point to where life groups would meet, where families would gather, where ministry would happen, where people would encounter God, and where lives would be changed.

To anyone else, it may have looked like nothing more than a gravel pad.

But we could see it.

We saw the buildings.

We saw the people.

We saw the ministry.

We saw the vision God had placed in our hearts.

For years, we walked those grounds in the rain, the snow, the heat, and the humidity. We prayed over every corner of that property and believed God for things that seemed impossible.

On Sunday, as we drove away for the final time, the reality hit me.

The pad is still gravel.

The sanctuary is still gravel.

The kids' ministry is still gravel.

The life groups are still gravel.

The dream we could so clearly see never materialized the way we thought it would.

And for a moment, the enemy would love nothing more than for me to look at that gravel and call it failure.

But I can't.

Because God never called us to be responsible for the outcome.

He called us to be obedient.

Just because something remains gravel doesn't mean God wasn't in it.

Because while the buildings may never have been built, the prayers were prayed.

The seeds were planted.

Lives were changed.

People were saved.

Healings took place.

Miracles happened.

Families were strengthened.

Students were discipled.

Marriages were restored.

And countless people encountered the presence of God on that property.

The buildings may not have gone up, but the Kingdom of God advanced on that land.

The work God did can never be measured by what was or wasn't built on a piece of property.

Sometimes we think success looks like a finished building.

But sometimes success looks like simply saying "yes" to God and being faithful with the assignment He gave you.

The same God who spoke to us when it was nothing but woods and gravel is the same God who is speaking to us today.

And while this chapter didn't end the way I once imagined, I know this:

Those prayers were not in vain.

That faith was not wasted.

Those tears were not forgotten.

And that gravel is still holy ground because of every prayer that was prayed there.

I still have a lot of questions that don't have answers.

There are things I don't fully understand.

There are dreams I thought would unfold differently.

There are chapters I wish I could read ahead in.

But I go into this next season with peace.

Not because I have all the answers, but because I know the One who does.

And I am confident that the same God who was faithful in every step of this journey will be faithful in the next one.

We may have driven away from the gravel.

But we did not drive away from God's faithfulness.

The psalmist said:

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." — Psalm 27:13

And I still believe it.

After everything we've seen.

After every miracle.

After every prayer God has answered.

After every door He has opened and every door He has closed.

I still believe it.

With all my heart, I believe we are going to see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

And one day, when we can see the full picture that only God can see, I don't believe we'll remember the gravel.

We'll remember the faithfulness of God.

Amen.

🙏: Keep my kids covered.
Sunday was tough on them, but Monday was full of joy and victory!

06/01/2026

Julie asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday or if I wanted to get away and leave town for the weekend.

Truthfully, there was nowhere else I wanted to be.

All I wanted was to spend the day on the property.

Maybe it's because this place has been such a huge part of our story. Or maybe it's because Julie and I have been having picnic lunches out here, dreaming about the future, since 2015.

Yesterday, those memories felt especially meaningful.

It was my birthday, but it was also our final picnic on the property.

The kids knew it would be an emotional day, so they decided to throw me an Aldi-themed birthday party. 😂

If you know, you know. 🫣

It was thoughtful, hilarious, and absolutely perfect.

In the middle of a day filled with memories, laughter, and a few tears, I was reminded that while seasons change, God's goodness does not.

As I looked around at my family, I realized that some of my greatest blessings were sitting right there around that picnic table.
The greatest gifts from this season were never buildings, projects, or plans.
They were the people, the memories, the lessons, and the faithfulness of God through every step of the journey.

As we packed up and prepared to leave, I found myself reflecting on everything this property has represented over the years.

Not just a place.

A chapter.

A chapter filled with faith, sacrifice, growth, miracles, friendships, hard work, and countless moments where God proved Himself faithful again and again.

The enemy would love for me to look back with regret.

Instead, I choose gratitude.

Gratitude for what was.

Gratitude for what God did.

And gratitude for what He is about to do.

Because I still believe that God's best is not behind us.

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." — Psalm 27:13

And I still believe it.

With all my heart, I believe we will see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

Yesterday may have marked the end of a chapter, but it also reminded me that every ending in God's hands becomes the beginning of something new.

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" — Isaiah 43:19

05/31/2026

Today is our last day on this assignment, and tomorrow, June 1st, begins a completely new chapter for our family.

One final thing that needed to be done was to dig up the Bible we placed beneath the pulpit in the foundation of the tent in 2021.
As we uncovered it yesterday, it served as a powerful reminder of the prayers, dreams, sacrifices, victories, tears, and countless moments of God’s faithfulness that were poured into this beautiful place.

As we prepare to drive off this property for the very last time this afternoon, I can’t help but think of the words from Ecclesiastes.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”

There truly is a time to plant and a time to pluck up what has been planted.
A time to weep and a time to laugh.
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
Through every season, God has remained faithful.

Today also happens to be my birthday, and honestly, there is no place I would rather spend it than here at Safari Dr. with my family. Together, we are reflecting on all God has done, celebrating the victories, honoring the memories, and looking ahead with excitement and expectation for what He has next.

While many may not understand why this chapter is ending, we know the Lord spoke, and our responsibility is to be obedient.
We may not have all the answers, but we trust the One who does.

So today, as we drive away from this property for one last time, we ask for your prayers.
Pray for wisdom, strength, peace, and favor as we step into this new season.
Pray that we would continue to follow God’s leading wherever He calls us next.

With grateful hearts, we leave thankful for every life touched, every lesson learned, every sacrifice made, and every blessing received.

One assignment is ending.

Another is just beginning.

And we believe the best is yet to come.

🙏: Thank you to Anthony for bringing the equipment and helping us in the rain, and to SRM SRM Concrete for granting our request in 2021 to cover this Bible under the pulpit.

05/31/2026

I am continuing to share this journey because of the amount of feedback we’ve received from people saying, “We’ve been there,” “We’re there right now,” or “We know we’re about to walk through this ourselves.” The truth is, there are so many people hurting, healing, transitioning, and trying to figure out how to leave seasons well.

Recently, I was a guest on a podcast with a great friend, and we were discussing this exact subject. We talked about healing, transitions, leadership, and how there are certain things you truly cannot understand unless you’ve lived them yourself… especially as a pastor’s family.

We officially finish our assignment on June 1st. Everything will be completed by midnight on May 31st. Ironically, May 31st also happens to be my birthday, so in a strange way, closing this chapter feels like a birthday gift — the ending of one season and the beginning of another.

This past week has been one of the hardest weeks we’ve ever walked through emotionally and physically. We have been moving out, preparing the school, organizing buildings, cleaning property, and getting everything ready for this next chapter.

While we were outside working, Julie suddenly looked down and said, “Look at that flower. That is one of the prettiest flowers I’ve ever seen.”

And honestly, she was right.

We are on 55+ acres of mostly grass and greenery. We don’t have colorful flowers blooming all over the property, so this flower immediately caught our attention. It was purple and white with hints of yellow woven throughout it.

She took a picture of it, and we kept moving.

Later, while waiting for the movers to arrive Monday morning, we started researching the flower because we had never seen one like it before.

It was called a passionflower.

As we started reading about it, we learned that missionaries actually used the passionflower to preach the Gospel because every part of the flower represented something connected to the suffering, sacrifice, endurance, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The spiritual meaning behind the passionflower is endurance through suffering.

And honestly… that felt deeply connected to the exact season we are walking through right now.

But what made the moment even more emotional was the fact that right beside it, another flower had suddenly bloomed too — this bright yellow squash blossom.

And when researched the symbolism behind that flower, it represented provision, growth, and harvest after a hard season.

One flower representing endurance through suffering.

The other representing provision and harvest afterward.

And we just stood there in silence.

After all these years, why now?

These flowers had never bloomed there before. Not once.

But now, in the middle of transition… in the middle of packing up dreams, visions, years of hard work, sacrifices, blood, sweat, tears, prayers, heartbreak, healing, and uncertainty… these flowers suddenly appeared side by side.

That was the Lord speaking to us during a really tough week.

While many people may not understand and may have fleshly opinions about why this chapter is ending, all we know is that the Lord spoke clearly to us, and we had to be obedient.

At the end of the day, we answer to Him — not to people.

We honestly do not fully understand ourselves why this chapter is ending the way it is, except for the simple fact that the Lord said it was time, and we chose obedience.

And the truth is, obedience will often be judged.

That is just part of it.

Because we live in a world where defiance and disobedience has become normal, obedience and submission can look confusing to people who do not understand what God is doing behind the scenes.

But this moment reminded us of something important:

Slow down enough to notice where God is speaking.

Look around.

Pay attention.

Don’t become so overwhelmed, distracted, bitter, or busy that you miss the small ways God may be reminding you that He is still there, still speaking, still guiding, and still bringing beauty out of difficult seasons.

Sometimes encouragement blooms right in the middle of the mess.

Sometimes God speaks through nature.

Sometimes He reminds you that endings are not always destruction — sometimes they are preparation for new growth.

And these flowers, and the meaning behind them, are something we will never forget.

Out of all the weeks for them to bloom…
they bloomed now.

Right at the end of this chapter.

And I just think that is beautiful.

05/19/2026

I am proud of all my kiddos, so let me brag on my sweet Londin today.

This girl lives in The Word, leads with kindness and confidence, and has one of the strongest work ethic I’ve ever seen for someone her age. She spreads Jesus everywhere she goes, and I pray she never loses that light.

She’s beautiful inside and out, and watching her grow into the young lady she is becoming has been such a gift. She is joy.

And let’s be honest… she also loves all things beauty and fashion — the girliest girl ever.

05/18/2026

I’m just a proud dad today.

A couple of weeks ago, Hayden started his new career, and today Preston started his.
Watching our boys step into this next season of life has been such a blessing.

This transition season has not been easy on our family or on our kids.
There have been a lot of unknowns, hard decisions, and moments where we’ve all had to trust the Lord one day at a time. But I could not be more proud of the way our boys have handled it all. They’ve leaned into the Lord, sought wise counsel, prayed, fasted, and truly searched for God’s will for their lives in this season.

As a father, there’s nothing sweeter than watching your children choose faith over fear and pursue the path God has for them, even when the future feels uncertain.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

We are beyond proud of our boys and so thankful for the faithfulness of God over our family.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day!
Our household is celebrating Julie today, she’s a great mom to our four and many more. Her influence on our kids and the many kids in our life will be seen for decades to come. Love you, Babe!

And, we’ve spent the whole weekend delivering gifts, flowers, cards and hugs to our grandmothers.

In March of this year, I said goodbye to my Mamaw (Mom’s mother.) In the few moments after she left us, my aunt Vickie turned to me and said “Aaron, you’ve been blessed with two pretty amazing grandmothers.”

I can think back to the times I’ve spent with my grandmothers and how impactful those moments were. Their influence has lasted my whole life.

I see that same instinctive, guiding, caring demeanor in our moms. Not just to Julie and I, but our kids. My mom always has food ready for any grandkid that may come through the door. I see Julie’s mom, no matter how busy she is, take time to pick the girls up from school or meet the boys for a meal.

Ladies, don’t ever think the little things you do for your kids and grandkids have just a small impact. Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to grow weary in doing what is good and what is right. Everything you do makes a lasting, permanent impression on those who call you “ mom” and “grandma.”

05/07/2026

Tonight our family took communion together, and it was such a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness, grace, and peace in every season.

No matter what life looks like right now, there is something so grounding about stopping, remembering Him,
praying together,
and placing everything back in His hands.

I want to encourage you — take communion daily if you can. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or perfect. Just a moment to remember the sacrifice of Jesus, thank Him, and invite His presence into your home and family.

There is power in remembrance.
There is peace in His presence.

Aaron Minick

06/05/2026

06/03/2026

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

05/31/2026

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

05/10/2026

05/07/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Organization

Shortcuts

Share