All I Can Say Is Thank YOU!!

As I walked into church today, expecting an amazing sermon and awesome worship time, I came to realize that I am very blessed. Typically I am one of those few people that comes to church with tunnel vision. My whole goal is to make it to Mylah's class and to my seat, before someone stops me and does the awkward Hellos'! Now I know that as a Christian, we are suppose to be these pillars of up lifting words to each other and creatures of fellowship but I am not one of those people that does that.

I actually feel those moments are very weird and staged. They are not meaningful to me, which makes me sound terrible but that's me. The thing that even makes this more interesting, I am a social butterfly outside of church. I am one of those people that can strike up a conversation in a public bathroom washing my hands with a stranger or even checking out at the gorcery store. I'm not shy at all! At work, I typically have to be threaten with a write up before I come to realize, "Christina this is not the time to talk!" SO why is it... that a place, where everyone is there to worship and love on each other. I can't! Today, I found myself checking the clock at 10:05 wondering... "Okay, we should be starting?!?!?" This is why I come late to church, so I can miss all this awkward feelings!

It's almost like there is this fear of opening up to these people (Christians). It's like I know they care but something inside me, just doesn't want one of them to check me on my faults or areas of concern. See all of the friends I have close to my life, thier amazing and they think wonders of me. However, not one of them is Christian. I can honestly say, I don't have one Christian friend. The one I did have, I was told by God to let go of because God needed them more and I was a henderenace to them right now. So with the rest of my friends, they think I am amazing, and nothing is wrong with me. Except they all believe that I am a little weird for loving God or believing in Him but none of them really step on my toes and they all still love me. So too them, they don't really know how to give me advice for my life and I can't really turn to them because they don't pray for those words to tell me. Which is dangerous, if you think about it! So I am blessed that God sent me this out going and fun loving church!

See today at church, my mission to be unnoticed, blow up in my face! Just walking up the stairs at church, people are there to greet me and notice me. Then walking down the stairs to Mylah's class, I walk around that corner to the fellowship room and there stands dear Jane. Who I've become acquainted with through the phone calls to the church. There she is, with the biggest smile on her face. She was excited to see me and she waved her hand like stranded man on an island signaling for help. I felt amazing and couldn't help it, but smiled in appreciation! Then just trying to by pass without stopping... Ronnie and everyone else, stops me. Loves on my daughter and me and really show me Jesus. I am blessed and thankful that God sent me amazing people and I feel even more amazing that I feel at home finally!

Anyways... one more thing with today little lesson. Something Pastor Vaughn said today really got me thinking and still stands out.

Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! Because it is written, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'" Matthew 4.10

After Pastor Vaughn tells us this, he stops and says... Jesus tells Satan to go away with scripture! Now I've read a couple of the books now in the bible, still not a 100% on everything that I've read or can honestly say I've grasped everything, but I have read a couple times in the bible. Where Jesus did preach or recited the words from the Bible. The idea that He did this, that didn't hit me till today. I don't know if that hit you like it did me, but that just talked wonders to me and brought me back to a couple months ago. Where I heard very solidly, "Christina, your no longer that "new" Christian. That is no longer an excuse, it's now become procrastination. It's time to mature and became someone that I can use in this army of mine!" As I sat there in the pew, totally focused on those words on the screen... I started to pray thank you. If Jesus needed to study and use these amazing words from the bible during His walk here on earth. Lord knows that I need them more because I don't come even close to what Jesus is, was or will be! This verse brought more meaning to why I get up early in the morning to read and pray. It gave me more reasons to be thankful!

Prayer Requests...

1) My friend Mary just found a lump in her breast and like any normal human being... she is freaked. So please pray peace, joy and most of... send her amazing people to love on her! I love that girl and can't imagine my job without her there! So please pray for her!!!

2) Andy and his amazing mission with the kids down in Mexico. He's changing so many people's lives and doing amazing things! Pray for him and his team down there, as these weeks become a month... I know some must fight homesickness and really missing thier families and loved ones. SO please pray for them too!

3) Mel and everyone else at my church... I pray that as I grow more in the word and become more confortible with my new church family, I pray that we can all grow into an amazing church family that holds each other up with loving hands and words of comfort! Thank you Jesus for this family and making me a part of it.