Radical Update

I finished "What is the mission of the church?"  by DeYoung and Gilbert.  I wish I could find a church that I liked so that I could build a relationship with a congregation.  I miss St. Pete and I miss my home church - they both just readily accepted me into their family and made me feel so welcome.  They were always gathering together to commune with each other; they take care of each other; they are so overwhelming in their kindness.  I miss it.  I miss having a routine centered around church.  I feel like a stranger in a strange land without a church.

I've started Anne Lamott's "Traveling Mercies" and at the end of the first chapter she writes, "because no matter how bad I am feeling, how lost or lonely or frightened, when I see the faces of the people at my church, and hear their tawny voices, I can always find my way home."  I feel the same way.  No matter how frustrating or disappointing life gets, I can find peace and joy at my church.  It's the way the folks smile at you and hug you and the way you know they love you unconditionally.  I'm blessed with not only a great real family, but a great church family as well....I'm just really really far away from them :(

I have finished the New Testament except for Revelations.  I'm saving that for Bible study because no way do I want to try to delve into that alone.  I used to roll my eyes and scoff when others told me to read the Bible.  I mean, I grew up in church, so obviously I'd heard it all already, right?  So wrong.  Yeesh, I was a dummy.  Seriously, everything you ever need to know about being a Christian is in the Bible.  You don't need anything else.  That's literally written as a manual.  Do this.  Do this and be incredibly happy and peaceful.  "The Word of God is more than able to do the work of God"  - Deyoung and Gilbert say at the end of their book I finished.  It's so true.  If someone with doubts and fears were to sit down and read the first four books of the NT, they wouldn't be able to stop reading.  I was that person.  I thought, no way, but yes!  a thousand times yes!  It all adds up.  It all makes sense.  Nothing could deter me from my relationship with God.  Nothing could stop me from proclaiming my love for Christ.  And the Word is sufficient.

I'll be starting the Old Testament next week.  Back to Genesis!  Interestingly enough, I'm also about to start a book called, "The Lost World of Genesis One".  Exciting stuff!

Dimes for Uganda are still being collected.  My little bottle is rattling pretty nicely.  I love when people send me pictures or update me about their bottles.  I know that I have an awesome support team and I'm so grateful to the Lord for placing me on this path.

"For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken."
Psalm 62

<3