A new church

Switching churches is not an easy thing. We started going to church with my parents about eight months ago. The teaching that we heard from our Pastor was like nothing we had ever been taught. I learned more about the Bible in eight months than any other time in my life. While attending there I experienced change. God brought correction, encouragement and teaching in a a whole new way. I feel that our church should change us. We should get better in our sinful ways. We should learn how to love Jesus more and if none of that's happening, what's the point? At this church, we experienced all of the above. But we have realized how much we crave community in our lives. Many people drive quite a distance to get to church. While our distance is not huge, it still is several cities away. We want to attend Bible Studies that aren't so hard to make. I want to sing and attend rehearsals that don't have me stuck in traffic during the week. Those things may sound selfish to some but with two little ones and another one on the way, our time as a family is precious and the closer our church is, the more it will help.

As a stay at home mom, I long to have outings with others Moms. Bible Studies with other women or coffee at Starbuck's after the kids are in bed with other Moms, helps me be a better Wife and Mother. Or what about a close-by friend calling me from the grocery store to see if I need milk or bread? A trip to Grapevine Mills mall is always more fun when I have another Mom with me. Decorating, shopping and all the things I love is best when someone else comes along to help or indulge with you! Hobby Lobby is always more fun with another woman that has left her kids at home with Dad just like me! And I need new recipes and I have several of my own to share! I have a sewing machine but no clue how to use it. Oh how would love to learn to sew and make baby blankets! Maybe there is a new friend out there waiting to show me how! I love to cook and maybe there is someone out there that needs to learn how! Maybe the Lord can use me to bless someone else by teaching them kitchen skills! There has to be a mom of three that can show me the ropes and surely there is a new Mom of two that I can encourage along the way. This is what I crave, community! I have had this before and since I know how great it is to have a network of Godly women, I realize it is a rudimentary need that must be met in my life. (I miss you Rebecca and Courtney!)

My husband is a fisherman. He loves fishing more than anything. He's blessed to be married to a woman that loves it too. Our best dates end up being the ones we spend on our boat fishing for five hours at a time. But when I fish for five hours, it's because we are catching fish for five hours! As much fun as he has with me and even though he can take me with him to do many "Guy" type things, he needs guys to hang out with. While I love to fish, I don't love to be out there and not catch anything. But Jeremy can spend an entire day on the lake and not catch a thing and be quite content. While I may love to watch Football as much as he does, I'm sure sports would be more fun with a fellow guy! Right now there is an empty slot in his life, he needs guy time. He needs someone to encourage him and he needs someone to encourage. He needs an early morning, crack of dawn coffee buddy to meet at Denny's before work. He needs a Bible Study with guys that love to fish like him and that love to get up at 4am to go the lake! He needs accountability in his journey as a Godly man. He's never really had this before but I feel deep in my heart that this is a rudimentary need in His life that hasn't been met but must be.

Our babies need to learn about Jesus. They need to sing songs and learn as many Bible Stories as they possibly can. While we read to them from the Bible at home almost every single night and we teach them to pray, they need other people to pour into their lives and teach them how to love and serve the Lord. They need Christian friends and a group of playmates that will teach them how to be Godly, young men and women. They need to color Bible Story pictures and participate in kid's musicals at Christmas time. Just like Mommy and Daddy, they need something to belong to.

As a family, we need church. We need others to teach us how to be better parents. We need to learn how to make smart decisions financially. But most of all, we need to learn how to serve God in our every day life. We need a place to fall, a place to surround us during times of heartache or struggle. We need a family of Godly people and that's what we are going to try to find.

So why not church? Isn't this the best place to find what we are looking for? Oh I hope so! Finally this weekend, we will try a new church. The best thing about it, we know a few that already go there, the kids area is amazing and it's maybe FIVE minutes away! I'm nervous about a lot but I'm excited to see what God has for us. If this church isn't a fit, we will probably be able to tell pretty quick. Since we live in an area FULL of churches, there has to be one out there close by that the Lord has already chosen for us. I can't wait to see where it will be and the new people the Lord will bless us with. I pray that we will be a blessing too.

Lord, there is so much on our plate right now. You know the struggles we are facing and you already know the people you will strategically bring our way to encourage us in this journey. As I prepare to be a Mother of three, send women my way that can teach me. I pray that you will bring brand new people in our lives that WE can encourage. Lord, teach us, protect us and help us make the BEST decision. I pray that we will not make a choice based on emotion or other people. I pray that you will show Jeremy the exact place we need to be and help me to follow 100%. Thank you for the place we have come from and the teaching we have received. They have set the bar high! Lord, I want to know you more and I want Jeremy to know you more. As a family, I want us to serve you with everything we have. Help us to surround ourselves with people that will love and teach us. May you challenge us and change us. We have made quick decisions in the past when it comes to our church home based on the wrong things. I pray that we will truly hear from you and that you will protect us from planting our feet in the wrong place. Plant our feet on fertile soil. That's the only place we want to be!