This past week at church, our pastor spoke briefly about a list of questions that, as Christians, we should contemplate for the new year. One of these ten questions was, "What is the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?" In Sunday School I shared that I felt it was humanly impossible for us to get a house that was in decent enough condition to live in-in the price range that we were looking for. I know it's true that it is humanly impossible. Seventy or Eighty thousand dollars at most is NOT very much money when it comes to buying a home! I bit back tears after sharing that information because the knowledge that we were trying to do something that was humanly impossible really hit me after I shared out loud.
I came home from church on Sunday and posted on my facebook in the "write something about yourself" section the question, "What is the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?" And then, I wrote my answer. "Give us a house we can live in that is in the price range we are seeking." I left it at that.
Last night, as I was looking on realtor.com I noticed a home in the price range, in a spot in Mckinney we liked, with 3/2. It had been listed just hours before I found it. There were no pictures, so I didn't expect much, but I contacted our realtor to take us to look at it anyway. It is SO MUCH better than I had expected for the price. It's ridiculous really...it has granite countertops, a second living space, and hardwood floors (the flooring is in need of repair, and the home did have two flooding incidences in the past several years, so it is not perfect...) But, if you compare it to other homes that we have looked at over, and over, and over these last few months you can easily see how much better it is.
God's hand is so evident right now. It isn't everyday that I feel and see God's movement in such an obvious, personal way. It brings tears of joy and thankfulness even as I write this to be reminded of how much he loves us, oh, how much he loves us! He is sooo faithful. I'm still amazed that he answered this prayer so quickly. To experience first hand God make the impossible, possible, is just astounding. I know I shouldn't be astounded, and maybe that isn't the right word, but WOW, what a God moment.
Even if this house doesn't end up being the one for us, God still has shown up in a very real way, saying to me that He will provide.
And, if it IS the house we end up getting, then I am going to have to move on to a different question for contemplating because God will have answered THE hardest question on the list, waaaay more quickly than I ever expected Him to do!
God will show up if you give Him the chance. What humanly impossible thing will YOU ask Him to do for you this year? Give it a try!
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3: 20-21
Quick Update: We looked at the home last night, and submitted a preapproval application as well. We are moving forward and digging deeper with an inspection in the near future to see if this might work out! Hopeful and cautious...please pray for wisdom and a thorough report. Will update again soon!
Showing posts with label Spiritual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Perfect Church
There is no such thing.
I know this, but it still doesn't make finding a church to attend any easier. Each week that we have gone to visit a new church, we find something great and something lackluster. The church that we are coming from, Mountain Brook Community, in Mountain Brook, Alabama was so well rounded that we have, I'm afraid, become spoiled.
Here is a summary of each week:
Week one: Mega Church Visit
Well, this visit was no surprise really. We got what we were expecting, and in hindsight, I don't know why we visited at all. However, God did have a hand in sending us there on our first week here. Although we knew quickly that this wouldn't be our church home, we did have the wonderful opportunity to see Caleb's new boss sitting a few seats up from where we were. It was a great source of encouragement to both of us knowing that in following God to this new state, He has given Caleb some Christian coworkers and bosses. It was great to chat with them, and Caleb got invited to a work Bible study the following Wednesday- which he now attends. So, God worked there!
Week Two: Itty Bitty Po Dunk Church
Once again, we knew this wasn't the place for us shortly after we had arrived. We went to drop the kids off in the nursery, and there basically wasn't one. The people were very friendly, and quickly recruited another child or two to host a nursery for "us visiting folks." It was too small, and everyone around us got around with either a cane or a wheelchair. This is why there was no nursery. Great people, but not our place.
Week Three: Mega Church Number Two
So, like you read earlier, we don't really DO mega churches. Mainly for the reason that we like to sing in a choir, go to Bible studies that provide free childcare on site, and that may possible have Family night suppers, but we really did like some things about this church. Of course, we don't know the churches are mega churches when we are on our way to visit them, so we always go in with an open heart. We loved the message from the pastor here, and the singing was great too! The volunteers were friendly like at all the other churches,and we got the expected coffee service. They don't offer fellowship classes at the church on Sunday's or Wednesday's and childcare would be up to us to find for joining any small groups. This is not ideal when you are trying to save money and don't know a soul to hire to babysit for you. It wouldn't provide any opportunities for us to help lead in worship with a choir which we could get over, and it's a bit farther away from home than we were hoping. Best message and music award though!
Week Four: Regular Size Church
This Sunday we visited a church that was the perfect size for us. It was a little large, but not mega-only two services. They had fellowship classes offered on Sunday mornings so we would get to know other people, and they offered many other things like mid-week Bible study groups, MOPS, kids preschool and programs, and so on. This was fantastic. Just what we were looking for in this regard. The worship service paled in comparison to week three's church though. The sermon was sound, but the delivery was bland. It required a lot of concentration to pay attention, but I guess that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't really think I should be looking for a church to "entertain" me, but it is nice to be naturally drawn in to a message. The singing portion of church didn't inspire me very much because no one in the church was singing-except for me and Caleb, and the band vocalists. Maybe this shouldn't bother me, but it does. And, we definitely didn't know the songs that they were singing-except if they were really old ones. So, we don't know if the other songs were just really old ones that we didn't know, or if they are new ones we didn't know...we do like a contemporary worship style.
So now, it's on to week five already! We don't know where we will visit next, and we think that maybe visiting week three or week four church would be worth it. One of our main problems is that it is extremely important for me to be in a place where I can make connections with people. Church will be the main source for developing Christian friendships for me. Having a great worship service each week is extremely important to me too. I want both. I don't want to sacrifice one to have the other. My hubby, being the introvert that he is, doesn't have this same issue. He doesn't really need the social aspects of church, and is far less critical than I am. He can be content anywhere there is a sound message. This means he has liked both week three and week four churches more than I have. I felt more like if they were strong in one area, then they were weak in the other. Harumph! I know I've opened a door for potential criticism, but I am being honest about the process that I am going through.
I know this, but it still doesn't make finding a church to attend any easier. Each week that we have gone to visit a new church, we find something great and something lackluster. The church that we are coming from, Mountain Brook Community, in Mountain Brook, Alabama was so well rounded that we have, I'm afraid, become spoiled.
Here is a summary of each week:
Week one: Mega Church Visit
Well, this visit was no surprise really. We got what we were expecting, and in hindsight, I don't know why we visited at all. However, God did have a hand in sending us there on our first week here. Although we knew quickly that this wouldn't be our church home, we did have the wonderful opportunity to see Caleb's new boss sitting a few seats up from where we were. It was a great source of encouragement to both of us knowing that in following God to this new state, He has given Caleb some Christian coworkers and bosses. It was great to chat with them, and Caleb got invited to a work Bible study the following Wednesday- which he now attends. So, God worked there!
Week Two: Itty Bitty Po Dunk Church
Once again, we knew this wasn't the place for us shortly after we had arrived. We went to drop the kids off in the nursery, and there basically wasn't one. The people were very friendly, and quickly recruited another child or two to host a nursery for "us visiting folks." It was too small, and everyone around us got around with either a cane or a wheelchair. This is why there was no nursery. Great people, but not our place.
Week Three: Mega Church Number Two
So, like you read earlier, we don't really DO mega churches. Mainly for the reason that we like to sing in a choir, go to Bible studies that provide free childcare on site, and that may possible have Family night suppers, but we really did like some things about this church. Of course, we don't know the churches are mega churches when we are on our way to visit them, so we always go in with an open heart. We loved the message from the pastor here, and the singing was great too! The volunteers were friendly like at all the other churches,and we got the expected coffee service. They don't offer fellowship classes at the church on Sunday's or Wednesday's and childcare would be up to us to find for joining any small groups. This is not ideal when you are trying to save money and don't know a soul to hire to babysit for you. It wouldn't provide any opportunities for us to help lead in worship with a choir which we could get over, and it's a bit farther away from home than we were hoping. Best message and music award though!
Week Four: Regular Size Church
This Sunday we visited a church that was the perfect size for us. It was a little large, but not mega-only two services. They had fellowship classes offered on Sunday mornings so we would get to know other people, and they offered many other things like mid-week Bible study groups, MOPS, kids preschool and programs, and so on. This was fantastic. Just what we were looking for in this regard. The worship service paled in comparison to week three's church though. The sermon was sound, but the delivery was bland. It required a lot of concentration to pay attention, but I guess that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't really think I should be looking for a church to "entertain" me, but it is nice to be naturally drawn in to a message. The singing portion of church didn't inspire me very much because no one in the church was singing-except for me and Caleb, and the band vocalists. Maybe this shouldn't bother me, but it does. And, we definitely didn't know the songs that they were singing-except if they were really old ones. So, we don't know if the other songs were just really old ones that we didn't know, or if they are new ones we didn't know...we do like a contemporary worship style.
So now, it's on to week five already! We don't know where we will visit next, and we think that maybe visiting week three or week four church would be worth it. One of our main problems is that it is extremely important for me to be in a place where I can make connections with people. Church will be the main source for developing Christian friendships for me. Having a great worship service each week is extremely important to me too. I want both. I don't want to sacrifice one to have the other. My hubby, being the introvert that he is, doesn't have this same issue. He doesn't really need the social aspects of church, and is far less critical than I am. He can be content anywhere there is a sound message. This means he has liked both week three and week four churches more than I have. I felt more like if they were strong in one area, then they were weak in the other. Harumph! I know I've opened a door for potential criticism, but I am being honest about the process that I am going through.
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