I really like and can relate to this post. Sometimes, I go through growing fits with my church but it is home...and to so many others, too. Of course, none of us are really home, yet.

In other news, I think I joined a small group. What I thought was some sort of one time meeting deal turned into a meeting happening every other week. Joey and I were invited to Chuck and Di's home Sunday night to discuss our faith: is it like a cruise ship or a battleship. Joey's parents, another couple from Riv, and two other gentlemen joined the group, also. We watched two clips from two movies: Titanic and Pearl Harbor. The focus was to see the differences and similarities in what life was like on each boat (before the bad stuff happened). We then read a scripture from Ephesians 6:10 and Corinthians...something. Yeah. I don't have my notes on me so I remember exactly. Really good discussions. Here is my overall thoughts:

Jesus died so we can enjoy life. While we need to be prepared for battle, we shouldn't always be looking for it. Example: you take CPR and first aid to prepare yourself in an emergency. You go about your life planting seeds, living by example, and enjoying life. You go out to dinner with a friend. You are not staring at them waiting for them to choke on their lobster. You are laughing, having a good time and then whamo. They start to choke. You spring into action and use the tools you have learned to help out.

I need more tools though the Lord has been equipping me. He has led me to a church I can learn in, one that breaks me down and builds me back up. He has provided me awesome pastors and speakers who point out areas I need to work on. The Lord has also helped me understand His word and interpret it normally. Oh, and let us not forget my crazy friends and fiance who also equip me to go out into this dark world.

But something else I see God doing is laying out a future for me. The Hills and the Corrs are teaching me how to run a small group among friends. It is almost like they are preparing Joey and I to pick this up years and years from now. I can see it now: meeting on Sunday nights with the Awesomes, the Yis, all of the Lillys, the Camberns and people we haven't met yet to learn about and worship Christ. I'm excited!

More to come on the future of the present small group. Let me know if you want to join us every other Sunday night (the communion bread is AWESOME!).