Our New Home

Today was a big day in the life of our church. It meant different things for different people. Some saw it as a return to their updated 'home.' For me, it was a special day with a different kind of meaning- a fresh start with a unified body that has welcomed us with open arms since the first day we walked in.

About 7 months ago, we decided that we needed to start looking for another church to call home. There were many things that affected our decision. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done-leaving a place you call home, full of many people you've grown up around. Adam and I 'reconnected' there (hehe). I accepted Christ there. I started singing in church there. We grew up in the youth there. We grew in our faith there and learned what it really meant to be a 'christian'. We were married there. We grew very close to many sweet people there. So leaving was hard, but at the same time we knew God was calling us to somewhere else. We didn't have a clue where.

We knew some of our close friends were visiting Church Central so, being my stubborn self, I refused to go there for the first couple Sundays. I didn't want to go there "just because others were". I don't usually like to follow the crowd, and sometimes, as if I have something to prove, I do the complete opposite. We visited around to different churches and eventually CC. Everything was all so different and new, so I wasn't sure how I felt about any of the churches we visited.

The more we visited CC, the more I realized that the core people there are legit. They love the Lord and they have a heart for people. They're simple, but effective. They get it. They get what this 'church thing' is all about. Pastor Jeff is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. I don't even know him very well, but you can just tell that he genuinely loves God & people. Not just the ones who look or talk like him, but all kinds. (I'm getting ahead of myself)

Needless to say, before we knew it, we were reluctant to visit elsewhere on Sundays for fear of what we may miss out on at CC. We decided in January, I think, to become partners there. We, along with many others, joined this core body of people in the mission of "bringing them in, building them up, and sending them out". They welcomed us in and we got right to work, but if I'm completely honest (why not? My last post was crazy transparent, so this is nothing, right?!) I kind of felt like we hadn't really meshed all the way with the people who were already there before us. In my mind, there was kind of an 'us and them' mentality. Not that I didn't want to get to know each of them, but I figured it would take time for us to feel at home and really take ownership of the fact that this was now our church too.

Shortly after we joined CC, I started singing with the (I'm not sure what we call ourselves) worship band (?). You get what I mean. I was starting to feel more a part of CC, by helping to lead worship, but there was still some mixing left to do. Fast forward a couple weeks to when we had the really bad storms that came through. If you don't already know, there was a lot of damage done to the building-the roof was ripped off, water damage, etc. It was messy. It seemed hopeless to some- those who proposed that maybe the church should just close and move on. Surely this was a sign that that was what God wanted (this is another blog post in itself). Oh! By the way, those people had it all wrong :) So we temporarily met at another location while we fixed up the building.

It hit me about 2 weeks before we planned to move back into the building. I realized, personally, what God was doing through this building project. Not only was he teaching me more about who he is, amongst other things, but he was unifying (more so) this newly knit body of believers. I knew when we came back to the building, it would be a fresh start for all of us. There would be no 'us-them' mentality because we had all come together during this tough time. We stuck it out and came through it, better.

I was right. This morning was unlike anything I've experienced before. Walking in and helping lead worship in a place that once felt very strange, yet continued to draw us in, I felt completely at home; overwhelmed with peace; the holy spirit so thick, you could almost feel his presence; looking out and seeing these people, who are my new family, worshiping freely. It was beyond amazing.

I am so thankful that while we had no clue what our next move would be or where we would end up, God was directing our path the whole time. He knew we would join this family of amazing people and help them spread Jesus through Milledgeville and the world. God has revived me and brought me back to life spiritually. I am closer to him now than I have ever been. His hand is at work in this group of people and it is very evident. I am thrilled to see what God will do in and through Church Central in the coming months and years. 

So today I am overflowing with thankfulness, gratitude, humility, peace and joy. I was once uncertain, but now couldn't be more sure that we are right where God wants us to be. The journey was not easy, but I'm glad he has led us to our new home.