This past Mother’s Day our little family visited this little church because some of our oldest and dearest friends were there and Mark had asked Nathan to play with him that Sunday. The boys and I went along for the ride and to see some old pals.
What we experienced that day was something I thought would never happen again in a church. It felt like home. Purely and simply home. Some of you know our church story (I have written some about it here, and Nathan has written about here) but over the past 18 months I have not written about it really at all because there wasn’t much to say. We were in transition. We had found a wonderful resting place in another church. A great church where we made amazing God-given friends and where we had time to recover, heal and rest. The fit wasn’t perfect but we knew that was as much about our “stuff” as it was anything the church itself was doing or not doing. Both being Preachers Kids, Nathan and I knew better than to blame our disconnectedness on the pastors or the church as a whole. We had found ways to serve, we had made friends, we knew the hearts of our leaders to be good and the church was almost in walking distance of our house. We were not looking to leave, but we were not cemented in either. So that Mother’s Day when we walked into Vineyard and I could not stop smiling, and when we went out to lunch and Nathan and I just kept shaking our heads and saying “well, what did you think?” over and over, it became very obvious very quickly that we were about to make a change. Several other things reaffirmed this decision in our hearts and by Father’s Day we were officially part of our new church. And I have not stopped smiling.
Things are not perfect there either (no church is don’t ya know?) And as a church body we are small and we are simple and we are in transition as we grow and change. But maybe it is because I lost it once -this knowing that I am home-that I am so very, very grateful for it now. So grateful and so happy that I want to try and not take it for granted this time. I am want to nurture and protect and encourage it to grow, because to lose your home – even your spiritual home – is heartbreaking and gut wrenching in ways that are hard to explain if you have never had it happen. It is as if your whole world has suddenly come undone and you are left without a net. So to have that back, to have a net and a home is an amazing gift that I am so very, very thankful for this season.
(PS- if you want to know who won my giveaway – go here)
I know what you mean. I know what you feel. And I am glad you have found a home.
Congrats Jerusalem. I know what a blessing it is to find that just right church.
I’m so glad to know you’ve found a wonderful church. We often take for granted those things which are most important to us- Like our husbands or even the food on our table. Thanks for doing a series to remind us of these things. Have a blessed Thanksgiving:)
Argh… the words to that song made me cry. I forgot how true it rang… how it still sometimes does for me. I never knew how much of it for granted until now. I know the process of starting over has been hard fought, and I’m thrilled you’ve found that home again. So praise God for new homes, new hopes, and things to be thankful for! Love you, friend! 🙂