This happened. Weeks earlier, I had started to feel the need to be home, that turned into the urge to serve near my home, and turned to the urge to worship near my home.
That was all that it was. I had a smartass suggested that it “had indications of perhaps a little anger”. But my friends got it. I loved them dearly, miss them desperately, but I heard the call and I had to go.
I didn’t want to go.
I arrived at All Saints 3 years before betrayed, bruised, broken, and bloodied by a community (some that even claimed to be Christian) where feeding narcissism, delusions, addictions and getting high-end electronics was far more important than truth.
I arrived angry, distrustful, scattered, and miserable and fell right into the arms of a kind, brilliantly imperfect, patient, and nutty congregation. My friends here have been generous with their time and patience with me. They soothed my wounds and joyfully welcomed me. I am pleased and proud to worship with them. They later gave me the privilege of caring and teaching their children and my Facebook page can attest to the joy that they have brought me.
During my time with All Saints, the Lord has done so many things to show that He is right with me. He gave me guides and mentors to help navigate true Christianity; to learn the truth, traditions and history of my renewed faith and new denomination. He gave me a home where I can let fly my deepest doubts and ask the hard questions. He gave me a room where I can empty the pieces of my broken life and go about the process of reconstructing it with joy, laughter, Gorilla glue and several rolls of duct tape.
What I didn’t know was that I was also being trained and equipped and in time I would be called away.
I heard the call… you need to be closer to home
<this started one of many internal arguments I had with myself>
But I was home … this was my home church and these people were my family.
True and Always, but you need to serve closer to home
Then I got angry. I have been driving an hour one way for about three years! I was starting to get attached! Sure there were things I didn’t like and I wasn’t shy about letting folks know, but leave?
yes
Well, shit. <sigh> ok.
When the Lord calls, you go. So I held my breath, fulfilled my obligations, made the needed arrangements, told folks privately, and left. Three weeks later, I found a church home within walking distance – some folks there even live down the street from me- and my first project is to coordinate their Children’s Ministry.
It’s wonderfully bittersweet. As is my life as a Christian.
Thanks be to God