Counting My Blessings

Recently I have found myself really falling in love with my church on a whole new level. I'm not sure what's caused the change, but the more I see the more I want to see. Let me tell you why I love my church. (And when I use the word "they" I am not just talking about the pastors or a few people - I mean the church as a whole.)

• They teach the Bible.
• Sermons come from the Bible and use appropriate texts kept in context for the message.
• They feed the poor and hungry every Sunday with physical food and spiritual food.
• People share what is really going on in their lives and want to know what is really going on in my life.
  
• They are real people. (i.e. they have faults that they can talk about, they don't have a perfectly clean house all the time, they have real emotions, and they even wear sweatpants and t-shirts!)
• They can be silly.
• They want to hang out and invest in each other's lives.
• They remember to pray for one another.
• At churchwide fellowships you can find groups of adults playing basketball, skipping jumprope, doing the electric slide, playing games, singing loudly, laughing like children, and talking theology all at the same time.
• They aren't afraid to admit that they watch American Idol and they like it.
• They invite us into their homes. (Note: this is the first church I've ever been involved with where I've been in a pastor's home. And actually I've been in ALL the pastor's home numerous times.)
• Letters of encouragement are a regular occurrence.
  
• After you have a baby they will bring you dinners for 5 weeks (and really good food too!).
• They are always looking for a reason to have a party.
• It's easy to get involved and plugged in.
  
• We have two gathering times a week to meet and discuss the Word.
• They are inviting to newcomers.
• They are fun.
• They want to know Jesus more deeply today than they did yesterday.

I am completely in love with my church. If you live in the area, you should at least visit. And if you don't have a church, you should definitely come and check it out.

The Servant Song

We are travelers on a journey, fellow pilgrims on the road;
We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

Sister, let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
Brother, let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh, I'll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow, till we've seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony,
Born of all we've known together of Christ's love and agony.

We sang this song at our church service last Sunday morning and I've been thinking about it a lot since then. As we sang the first line I began pondering who I was being a "fellow pilgrim" to and who were mine. What an incredible task! To walk alongside someone through all the trials, tears, laughter and song! We think about this when someone gets married and they vow to love the other in "sickness and health" - but when I came to faith no one said to me, "You know, you are now to walk alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ through all circumstances."

I want to be a fellow pilgrim though. God has definitely softened my heart in the last year to want to be there for someone else in need. And I guess that stems from my desire for someone to be faithful to me in their friendship through all the ups and downs my life brings. And I'm learning what it means to be there for someone when they need to laugh, or cry, or be silent, or be fed, or ... when you need me to help you host a dance party (the last one might be a stretch for most of you, but would probably bless my husband tremendously).


I'm glad God planned for the Christian walk to be one with fellowship. I couldn't do it by myself. So thank you to all those who have helped me, are helping me, and will continue to help me. I pray that I can increasingly become someone who is a faithful friend.

So Our Community Group Invaded Our House . . .

There was a time in many of our lives in which we lived more or less without the involvement of God's local church. Those days are gone now, and we don't miss them.

During our honeymoon, our community group invaded our house. They brought banners and cards and food and teddy bears, and generally made our house a happy place to come home to. We enjoyed it and love them dearly!

So we praise Jesus for Shawn and Heather and Tyler and the Breeds and the Sylvesters and Dana and Amy and Kristin and Ben and Megan and the Atkinsons !!! You all are God's blessing to us !!!