home

One year ago this weekend, we visited a city and a church that we had never been to before. It was a whim, really...who knew what would become of it? A friend simply made a request, that we visit and pray. Would God have us come and be a part of the ministry here? Not with a position, but as part of a family, serving alongside, growing and learning.

This friend wisely knew that we were looking for a church family where we could belong. We want to serve and to grow. We want to be part of what God is doing. But that had not been the case for several years. Our church experiences, through our own doing, had left us disconnected and drained.

When we came to visit the church one year ago, there was no trumpet blast or visitation from God. We felt good about it and really liked the people there but we just decided to take a wait-and-see approach. It would be a big deal. Our families back home were expecting that we would move back and we were in agreement with that. We had no income lined up and no place to live.

So we prayed (and fretted and worried and laid it back down...and fretted and worried and laid it back down). An apartment was available close to the church, so we took it. Signing the year lease was a big step, since we did not even have a way to pay for it! But we believed that God was opening doors.

Within ten days of moving here, Keith was working. I 'happened to' run into some old friends in the grocery store who 'happened to' know the manager at a company that 'happened to' be hiring. Do you know what happened? I do. God happened.

It's taken longer at church, but we now feel like contributing members of the church body. We are allowing God to use (and stretch!) us and it's just what we were wanting. To be available and to be used by God. To feel like a family with our fellow believers. To say 'yes' to God, even when it's uncomfortable.

God is so good and I'm so thankful that He is willing to let us be part of what He is doing here. Who knew one year ago when we visited how this would turn out? I didn't. But God did.