just thoughts

so my thoughts today are about my awesome sis n law Barb.  She truly inspires me.  Despite having her daughter having brain cancer she still wants to outreach to others and show them Jesus.  Despite this trial, I believe that lots and lots of people are going to get saved because of it.  Read her blog (just click on her name above).  It will make you cry.  It made me.  I will be crying lots tonight.  Tonight is our last service at our church that we have been members of for 10 years now.  They have been there for us in more ways then we could imagine.  I never imagined worshipping anywhere else.  I can truly say that God has really looked out for us.  We were attending another church at the time when some things happened in our extended family that I am just not willing to share.  All in the past...so I am not bringing up old hurts that have already been forgiven.  My husband got really sick in the hospital.  He had severe headaches and could not even move.  We could not figure out what caused it, nor could they.  You had to look like something out of a sci- fi movie to see him.  We thought it was meningitis, but tests came back negative.   However, they still treated it like it was meningitis and gloves and masks and coverings over you were worn.  So who comes to visit, Pastor Joe  from where my in laws were going. We were not even members and he comes to see how my husband is doing.  That is when we knew what church we were going to start going to and have gone ever since.  A lot of growth and changes in the past 10 years.  It has grown to  about 2000 and yet it still feels small and close.   We can be real and ourselves there.  We don't have to feel like we have to be one way there and then another way at home.  I also love that Pastor Joe always preaches the truth and is always very real and relevant.  He is not only preaching to us, He is allowing God to speak to him as well.  God has used the people of this church to minister, enccourage,pray, and provide for my family and I in ways I can not even begin to express.  I can not even begin to express how heartbreaking it is for me to have to leave.  I know that God has bigger plans but this is where I thought I would always be.  However, we are moving to a place where there is a wonderful chruch.  Savannah Christian Church.  It is very similar to TCC and I know that I will soon feel at home.  They made us feel so welcome we went last weekend and I still get the feeling that despite the enormous size it will feel small and close.   I even feel like I can be me.  Raise my hands in worship and not be uncomfortable doing so even if I am the only one.  They have service on Sat night which I prefer.  They preach the truth with boldness and yet in a loving way.  The most important thing, other than it is so obvious that Jesus is all up in that place, is that my kids had so much fun and want to go back.  I am truly blessed that we don't have to "church shop"...God's blessings truly amaze me.