for you so that

continued from Week 42

I recognize my resistance comes from having grown up going to church but not meeting Jesus.

Not only did I not meet Jesus as The Way, The Truth and The Life but church time was full of teaching what was, and was not, allowed and to me as a lost teenager, this only furthered me from desiring Christianity, the religion.

The god represented within those four walls was a gavel-god, and this is not the God I have come to know.

With my past ‘church-life’ struggle I assumed (you know what they say about making assumptions) this new mega church would just be another church offering lots to do but lacking Jesus. Well… matters not, because wha-da-ya-know, Ryan was specific in saying we will go. Okay then, we’ll go (but I admittedly had a clenched jaw about it). 

Sunday came and off we went. Upon walking through the door I felt Jesus’ invitation for my heart to soften because I knew the warm, welcoming woman holding the door for us from years prior. Without hesitation she led us into a café area where, three steps in, the kids were sold because they had FULL SIZE donuts available. Oh boy.

We attended the service and it was, well, it was. They actually had a guest teacher that Sunday so while it wasn’t their norm, I was still wanting to say nah, we aren’t coming here.

Afterwards, we went back to the café, not sure why, just kidding, #donuts, and… my eyes glanced to the left only to see another close friend from many years prior, Chris.

I didn’t even know he lived in our area, but there he was, crazy! I hollered his name and we caught up for a few minutes and in those few minutes I mentioned we would likely be transitioning to homeschooling but didn’t know anyone who does that, or where to start, and the whole idea of it being a tad overwhelming etc. that minute, he stepped two steps to the left, talked for a moment with a lady who then came over to me and introduced herself as Sherrie, a local, homeschooling mom who also runs a co-op and she let me know this co-op would be happy to welcome our family.

Surprise?!? I shouldn’t be!

Jesus  a l w a y s  knows best, if only we wouldn’t resist the way we do (or is it just me who does that?).

Praise God by the power of His Spirit in me, my natural resistance may not be completely removed but my awareness of this old habit of resisting is absolutely in-tune. Therefore I am learning to yield, which brings me and our family to experiencing more forward movement instead of always, and forever, walking around the same ol’ mountain! Hallelujah!!!

Needless to say while we lived at our Imperial Dr. home, we attended this church. And, in addition to Sherrie’s family becoming a treasure there were a few other very special and set-apart families we came to know, love and ultimately experience the rich gift of community.

to be continued…