Un-glued!

Today was like any other Sunday, well almost! Today was the first time since early October that I went back to Bethany for church. It was a strange stepping back into the place where I called home, but then packed my bags and moved on. It was strange seeing the expressions on people's face when they saw me. It was strange sitting with the youth and sharing highlights with them. It shouldn't of all been strange, but it was. It was like I was starting new, all over again. But I guess somewhere deep inside of me, I knew that going back to Bethany was not going to be the same!

Today's sermon hit me really hard today. As of right now I don't feel plugged in at Judson...I still feel like Bethany is my home and still my family! Pastor Tim is preaching about "Life in the Body of Christ" and today's sermon was on "Why join the Church?"

Here are the couple of key points that Pastor Tim gave about joining the church...

1. To Identify yourself as a genuine believer.

2. To gain a Spiritual Family to support and encourage you.

3. To develop spiritual Muscle.

4. To better accomplish God's Mission.

5. To help you keep from Backsliding.

6. The Body of Christ NEEDS YOU!!

As I sat there in service and thought about these things, I didn't really know where I belonged. God has called me over to Judson, but my family, my church, my heart is still at Bethany. I sat among my friends and the youth knowing that this could be one of the last times that I would sit with them in church, one of the last times I would share highlights with them, one of the last times I would tell them to "knock it off" in Sunday school, one of the last Sundays with them! There is lots in pain in saying bye and starting fresh. I am unsure that people truly understand the pain that I am going through as I make this new chapter in my life. This change is not easy for me and I don't think that it will ever be an easy change. Trust me, if God was not calling me away from the things I knew, I wouldn't be leaving. If I didn't have complete peace about leaving and knowledge that God is in control, I wouldn't be leaving. The list could go on and on about reasons I wouldn't be leaving, but let's face it...I am leaving!

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and change my answer, make things back to how they were. Sometimes I wish I wouldn't have spent so many hours crying and wondering if this was the right choice. Sometimes I wish that everyone could understand the reason I am leaving, and not make it harder than it already is. But I know that through the pain and suffering from this change I have been made stronger! I have learned that God wants me to step out into the unknown and have complete trust in Him! My true friends are sad to see me go, but excited to see what God has in store for me. As I step into the unknown, I know that God will not leave me and will ALWAYS be there for me!