not just surviving, but thriving

today our church had a congregational meeting to elect a new senior pastor - hallelujah! as he is younger than chef hubby and i, it seems a tad ironic to call him senior... but still - we officially have a new teaching elder...

(((SIGH)))

as it was read that it passed unanimously, i was overwhelmed... i had to work hard to not just break down and cry...

in september of this past year (2010), our previous senior pastor - who had just started when Bee was born (and all the fun that then occurred) stepped down

the reasons were many - but i truly feel he and his family were under attack from the moment they stepped up to fill the pulpit - from spiritual enemies - and earthly

i hadn't realized how scared i still was that our lil' church would fall... i realize it's not out of the woods quite yet i feel that we are past the survival stage - and on many levels - we are thriving

we are CHRISTfollowers, not "christians". there is a tight knit group fighting tooth and nail to bring HIM glory and do HIS will

this hit me as i washed out paintbrushes (for the 100th time this month), and i thought of my old friend and neighbor, Mama T. when i first moved back to my home town, she and i became friends through our workplace.

chef hubby and i had done the church shopping, and had not found the place that truly fit us. she introduced us to the church that we call home. she has since stopped attending church, and truly we rarely have contact but watching one another dogs...

it's no secret that the location of my humble home is a thorn in my flesh, had thought it was a quiet street, but it is actually a through way and very busy and sometimes we have teenagers who want to camp out in our yard... but i digress...

i have ofen reminded myself that all works for HIS glory and HIS plans. since we moved to this house on this street, i was introduced to mama t, she introduced me to my church, and through my church... i did not JUST survive, i have thrived

i have thrived... even as i type i know i am asking to be smacked down to humility, but i feel i am closer to HIM through all i have been through in the past 5 years.

i have met women who i truly consider sisters-in-christ, i have been held accountable, and pushed and stretched in my faith that may have never occurred if we hadn't lived in this house.

i would have survived the complications of child birth - i would have survived the hysterectomy, most likely would have pursued foster care...

but i am able to do this and be full of JOY for HIM (note - JOY - not happy... not to be mistaken!)

and that... is thriving...