Thursday, September 30, 2010

Right where you need to be...

It's been a while since I've blogged, but I just felt like sharing this today. I'm not sure where you find yourself in life, but I've gotta say, I'm loving the place I'm at right now. Michael and I (along with the girls) have been at our "new" church for a few months now and know that we are exactly where God wants us to be. He's opened doors for us to serve and to be fed, both of which are important for growing, and we are part of a church family that is such a grat example of how the body of Christ is supposed to work. I'm not saying it's perfect, because none of us are perfect and no church is perfect, but when there's an issue, it's dealt with in a timely and compassionate manner. Our pastor and his family are such a blessing to us, and when his wife says "I'll be praying for you", you know beyond a doubt that she really is.

Sometimes we settle for what's easy and in our comfort zone instead of really listening to what God has for us. I know there's a reason that we were at our former church, and we made some dear friends while we were there, but we never truly felt peace about being there. Michael and I started praying about what God wanted us to do and where He wanted us. It was clear that we were supposed to move on and find a new "home". Having always been part of a BBFI (Independent Baptist) church, the thought of changing was kind of daunting. Again, I was choosing my comfort over His calling. Way too many times in my life, I was told it was about grace but was shown through "convictions" and such that more was required to be seen as good in God's eyes. Yes, He wants me to grow in my relationship with Him, but does the style of music I listen to (or sing in church services) or the superficial prayers I pray make me closer to Him? Does wearing onl skirts get me a better spot in Heaven? I've come to accept that His grace truly is enough. Grace + nothing = salvation. It's not grace + wearing the "right" clothes (although I feel that modesty is very important, but it's not going to save you)+ listening to only hymns = salvation. I may step on a few toes here, so if you're toes are sore, I'll give you some spiritual Dr. Scholls (Ephesians 2:8-9 should do the trick). Do I dress modestly, yes, and I expect my daughters to as well. I don't do it because I HAVE to in order to keep my salvation. Does my defination of modesty include only wearing certain clothes? Nope. I've seen more than my fair share of girls/ladies in shirts and skirts or culottes that show off more than I do in my jeans anyday. Just yesterday at the park, I saw an older lady wearing a long jean skirt and a "girl cut" tee, and trust me, I know way more about her curves than I wish to. Anyway, my point is, that God's more concerned about what's in your heart than He is what you're wearing. If you're relationship with Christ is where it needs to be, you won't want to dress in an immodest way. Just sayin'.

Ok, so I feel like I've been rambling, but I just want to put this out there. If you're not where you need to be, bite the bullet and ask Him to show you what He wants for your life. Trust me, once you get there, you'll be SO much happier.