It's already practically half way through July! What's going on?? It's been over a month since I last posted, so, here's some fun updates for you.
-My man moved home yesterday, we're hoping that he'll be able to find a full time job in that area soon after relocating.
-I'm moving at the end of this month, to Virginia! I have never lived there, so it sure will be an adventure.
-My family is all living west of me. Pretty much the other side of the country. I miss them. (California, Edmonton, and Colorado)
Okay, so those updates weren't that fun. Sorry about that. But, on the note of me moving to Virginia... I vaguely know where I will be moving to, so the first thing I did was find a church. I have actually found a couple possibilities.
1) Chester Christian Church - very similar (from what I have seen) to what I am used to. Similar to Chase Oaks and North Point, along with the church my man's family attends (I have been to it and love the pastor there) and the church PCCH.
2) New Venture Christian Church - a unique take on church. Their website is even "relaxedchurch.com". From their website their beliefs are also similar to the churches I have been attending, so this will definitely be an interesting visit.
3) Destiny Church - my future-future father-in-law actually found this one, and I can't seem to find it online anywhere. I'll have to talk to him about finding it's website again so I can actually take a look at it. but if he recommends it, I'm sure it will be good (and similar to the churches I have been attending).
So from the little bit I have talked to my man, he is glad to be home and his family is glad that he is home too. I'm glad he's happy - now I just have to figure out what I am doing and get myself to where I need to go. Which will hopefully be soon...
Showing posts with label new church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new church. Show all posts
Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday, July 28, 2011
How did I get here? I'm not who I once was. (part 1)
To start, the subject is a few lines from a song that has really spoken to me over the past month or so since I have moved to ATL. It's called "You Are More" by Tenth Avenue North. "You are more than the sum of your past mistakes." That has been a hard concept for me to accept, especially because of some of the mistakes I made in my past. But I'm writing this post to tell you how I got to where I am now. Emotionally, spiritually, heck, even why I moved to Atlanta.
So, how did I get here? Where is "here" exactly? Well, I suppose I need to take you back about two years, when all of this sort of began.
In March 2009 my mom had a stroke. It was hard on all the whole family. My boyfriend at the time was very supportive and caring-he was everything I could have hoped for. It was this even that really turned my world upside down and I started praying-really praying-for my mom's health. I had never seen my dad the way he was while we were visiting my mom in the ICU, and it scared me. Seeing my mom in the ICU was terrifying. But I felt like someone was out there, and so I knew everything would be okay. I knew she had awesome doctors and all I could do was pray that she would get better. So when I asked him if I could go to church with him, he agreed. We went to several different churches around Purdue, all Lutheran, since I didn't grow up in a religious household, and he did. I remember after one particular service-I have no idea what the message was-but the couple sitting in front of us introduced themselves. They noticed we were new and invited us to various events if we were interested (the guys played basketball one evening a week and the ladies met for-I'm not joking-sewing circles). We thanked them for the invitations but we were trying to find a church that suited both of us, and we were still undecided.
After we got in the car he asked me, "So what did you think?" I had no idea how to respond to him. So I said the default answer, "It was good." I didn't know what it was, but there was something about that service that just didn't click with me. We went to a few more services at different churches after that, but I never felt like I belonged there. Not just because we went to different churches, but because I felt like people could see this neon sign above me that announced I had no idea what I was doing and that I was new at this whole church-going thing. Eventually we stopped going. I think it was a combination of the fact I felt awkward at them and school got busy and, yea. I made excuses not to go. And then the school year ended, and I moved back to Wisconsin for my 2nd internship with the company my dad works for. I didn't think twice about going back to church once I moved back home.
I took a class over the summer and moved into my first apartment. Yea, I took a few weeks off during my internship to take this class. They were okay with it when I told them when they offered me an internship, and I needed the class. School started up again in August and everything was well. Mom was getting better and my boyfriend and I were happy. The fall semester came and went, and soon I was going home again for winter break. I took a train to Chicago for New Year's Eve to meet up with my boyfriend and a couple friends and he surprised me at the train station. It was freezing cold, but we had a good time. I went back home and then drove back to school for the spring semester. Spring semester started off pretty good, and then February happened. Right before Superbowl weekend he messaged me on facebook and said, "Can I come over? I need to talk to you." I said yes without hesitation and he showed up soon after and I hugged him, and knew immediately that something was wrong. He then told me it was over. He couldn't give me a reason why, but he was kind enough to stay for about 2 hours while I tried to comprehend what had just happened. He left about midnight and I immediately called my best friend and couldn't really formulate any sentences, but she showed up and sat with me for another hour. She went home and I eventually passed out because I was so exhausted.
I thought that maybe I could convince him to come back to me. I also thought that if I prayed, he would realize his mistake and come back. So I started praying. I couldn't accept that he had dumped me. Two weeks passed, and I was still extremely upset. My best friend told me that I needed to "get over it", and after that we basically stopped talking. I sunk down to a place that I hadn't been in years, and I still don't really know how my grades survived that semester. I got a B in a class that I should have easily gotten an A in because I flat out forgot to do an assignment. He told me he valued my friendship, so I continued to talk to him. I admit now that, at the time, that wasn't the best idea for my emotional well being. When I got the call before spring break for an internship offer in ATL, I immediately accepted. I hoped that maybe leaving Indiana behind would help me heal.
So the semester ended. I was completely broken, and didn't know how to fix myself. On the outside, I seemed okay. I had no choice. I was moving in with two other girls who had boyfriends and were happy. How could I live with them all summer if I let my emotions get the better of me? In June I saw on facebook that he was in a relationship with someone else. I completely broke down-but again, kept it to myself. I went out with my roommates, hoping it would help. (They had no idea.) It didn't. When I got back I deactivated my facebook account for the summer. I got a library card for the summer, and during my first visit the librarian asked me, "Are you Lutheran?" (I mentioned I was new to the area, and I guess because of my complexion she thought I might be. Still don't really understand that one...) She invited me to her church and gave me directions. She was very nice. I seriously considered about going, but I chickened out. I still wasn't sure where I sat with my faith, or with what I believed.
I'll end this post here, and keep your eyes open for another part. I'm not sure how many parts this will take, so bear with me dear readers. Also, if you're a praying sort of person, please pray for my second family. I won't go into details as they're not mine to share. If you're not a praying person, please keep them in your thoughts.
Until next time, dear readers. And thanks for reading, you truly inspire me to keep writing.
So, how did I get here? Where is "here" exactly? Well, I suppose I need to take you back about two years, when all of this sort of began.
In March 2009 my mom had a stroke. It was hard on all the whole family. My boyfriend at the time was very supportive and caring-he was everything I could have hoped for. It was this even that really turned my world upside down and I started praying-really praying-for my mom's health. I had never seen my dad the way he was while we were visiting my mom in the ICU, and it scared me. Seeing my mom in the ICU was terrifying. But I felt like someone was out there, and so I knew everything would be okay. I knew she had awesome doctors and all I could do was pray that she would get better. So when I asked him if I could go to church with him, he agreed. We went to several different churches around Purdue, all Lutheran, since I didn't grow up in a religious household, and he did. I remember after one particular service-I have no idea what the message was-but the couple sitting in front of us introduced themselves. They noticed we were new and invited us to various events if we were interested (the guys played basketball one evening a week and the ladies met for-I'm not joking-sewing circles). We thanked them for the invitations but we were trying to find a church that suited both of us, and we were still undecided.
After we got in the car he asked me, "So what did you think?" I had no idea how to respond to him. So I said the default answer, "It was good." I didn't know what it was, but there was something about that service that just didn't click with me. We went to a few more services at different churches after that, but I never felt like I belonged there. Not just because we went to different churches, but because I felt like people could see this neon sign above me that announced I had no idea what I was doing and that I was new at this whole church-going thing. Eventually we stopped going. I think it was a combination of the fact I felt awkward at them and school got busy and, yea. I made excuses not to go. And then the school year ended, and I moved back to Wisconsin for my 2nd internship with the company my dad works for. I didn't think twice about going back to church once I moved back home.
I took a class over the summer and moved into my first apartment. Yea, I took a few weeks off during my internship to take this class. They were okay with it when I told them when they offered me an internship, and I needed the class. School started up again in August and everything was well. Mom was getting better and my boyfriend and I were happy. The fall semester came and went, and soon I was going home again for winter break. I took a train to Chicago for New Year's Eve to meet up with my boyfriend and a couple friends and he surprised me at the train station. It was freezing cold, but we had a good time. I went back home and then drove back to school for the spring semester. Spring semester started off pretty good, and then February happened. Right before Superbowl weekend he messaged me on facebook and said, "Can I come over? I need to talk to you." I said yes without hesitation and he showed up soon after and I hugged him, and knew immediately that something was wrong. He then told me it was over. He couldn't give me a reason why, but he was kind enough to stay for about 2 hours while I tried to comprehend what had just happened. He left about midnight and I immediately called my best friend and couldn't really formulate any sentences, but she showed up and sat with me for another hour. She went home and I eventually passed out because I was so exhausted.
I thought that maybe I could convince him to come back to me. I also thought that if I prayed, he would realize his mistake and come back. So I started praying. I couldn't accept that he had dumped me. Two weeks passed, and I was still extremely upset. My best friend told me that I needed to "get over it", and after that we basically stopped talking. I sunk down to a place that I hadn't been in years, and I still don't really know how my grades survived that semester. I got a B in a class that I should have easily gotten an A in because I flat out forgot to do an assignment. He told me he valued my friendship, so I continued to talk to him. I admit now that, at the time, that wasn't the best idea for my emotional well being. When I got the call before spring break for an internship offer in ATL, I immediately accepted. I hoped that maybe leaving Indiana behind would help me heal.
So the semester ended. I was completely broken, and didn't know how to fix myself. On the outside, I seemed okay. I had no choice. I was moving in with two other girls who had boyfriends and were happy. How could I live with them all summer if I let my emotions get the better of me? In June I saw on facebook that he was in a relationship with someone else. I completely broke down-but again, kept it to myself. I went out with my roommates, hoping it would help. (They had no idea.) It didn't. When I got back I deactivated my facebook account for the summer. I got a library card for the summer, and during my first visit the librarian asked me, "Are you Lutheran?" (I mentioned I was new to the area, and I guess because of my complexion she thought I might be. Still don't really understand that one...) She invited me to her church and gave me directions. She was very nice. I seriously considered about going, but I chickened out. I still wasn't sure where I sat with my faith, or with what I believed.
I'll end this post here, and keep your eyes open for another part. I'm not sure how many parts this will take, so bear with me dear readers. Also, if you're a praying sort of person, please pray for my second family. I won't go into details as they're not mine to share. If you're not a praying person, please keep them in your thoughts.
Until next time, dear readers. And thanks for reading, you truly inspire me to keep writing.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Amazing how He works.
I have been struggling with the move to ATL and finding a new church. I thought I had found one in North Point Community Church (NP), but I attended Buckhead Church last weekend and was absolutely overwhelmed with the number of people. The boy was there with me, which helped a lot. Although I say I like change (and I do) it's just hard for me to accept it sometimes.
I started my journey towards God at Purdue Christian Campus House (PCCH or CH), a small intimate church on Purdue's campus. I was baptized there, and I consider it my "home church" still. I promised myself this week that I would attend NP. I know that I need to surround myself with people, especially since I feel like an outcast at work (more on that later). I also know that church is a fantastic place to find new friends, after all, before CH I had very few girlfriends. Now I have a couple that I cannot imagine my life without.
So, because it's hard for me to accept change, I typically will wimp out of a scary situation. In this case, it was attending a new church by myself for the first time. I bargained with myself and said, "Well, I still want to go to church, but I a) don't want to use up the gas it would take to drive the 30 minutes there and b) don't know anyone there so I will be all alone." Instead, I attended in my pjs and watched the sermon online. (They live stream the 11AM service and replay it at 6PM. So, if you're interested in watching today's message, you can at 6! http://northpointonline.tv/)
Today was the conclusion of their series "Amazing Stories". Today they visited the story of Naaman, the commander of the Aram army. For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, here's a brief description: Naaman has leprosy. He is told by one of his servants that there is a prophet in Israel who can cure him. He goes to the king and asks to go, the king agrees and sends a letter with him.
I started my journey towards God at Purdue Christian Campus House (PCCH or CH), a small intimate church on Purdue's campus. I was baptized there, and I consider it my "home church" still. I promised myself this week that I would attend NP. I know that I need to surround myself with people, especially since I feel like an outcast at work (more on that later). I also know that church is a fantastic place to find new friends, after all, before CH I had very few girlfriends. Now I have a couple that I cannot imagine my life without.
So, because it's hard for me to accept change, I typically will wimp out of a scary situation. In this case, it was attending a new church by myself for the first time. I bargained with myself and said, "Well, I still want to go to church, but I a) don't want to use up the gas it would take to drive the 30 minutes there and b) don't know anyone there so I will be all alone." Instead, I attended in my pjs and watched the sermon online. (They live stream the 11AM service and replay it at 6PM. So, if you're interested in watching today's message, you can at 6! http://northpointonline.tv/)
Today was the conclusion of their series "Amazing Stories". Today they visited the story of Naaman, the commander of the Aram army. For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, here's a brief description: Naaman has leprosy. He is told by one of his servants that there is a prophet in Israel who can cure him. He goes to the king and asks to go, the king agrees and sends a letter with him.
The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy." -2 Kings 5:6
The king of Israel sends him to Elisha, the prophet his servant spoke of. Naaman expects Elisha to wave his hand over him and be cured, but instead he sends a servant to greet Naaman and his group. The servant tells him to go and bathe in the Jordan seven times and he will be cured. Naaman is angry with Elisha and refuses.
Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" -2 Kings 5:13
Naaman goes and bathes in the Jordan. He is cured and returns to Elisha, grateful for what he has done. One of the things Andy Stanley ended with was saying that if God is putting something on your heart that you know you need to do, even if you have convinced everyone else around you, and you are still not convinced, do it. God doesn't owe us an explanation. There are times in everyone's life when He is pushing something into our hearts that we may not understand. It is during those times we need to follow Him. Even though it may seem like such a simple thing, in my case, actually going to NP, He has something much bigger in store for us. If you don't follow, you will regret it, no matter how small a thing it is. And so, I am making the commitment today to attend NP next Sunday. I know there aren't that many of you who are readers, but I need to be held accountable. I do regret not going today, but today's message has made me realize that I need to go. Even if I am uncomfortable, I have to go. I can attend the "next" session after the service and hopefully meet some other new to town people.
Until next time readers. Thank you for being here for me, even though you are few.
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