Friday, September 06, 2013

Refreshing in My Spirit - New Beginnings

I'm feeling hope rise up in me again that I had lost long ago.  I guess the best way to say it is I felt spiritually dead on the inside.  When you lose that first love and you only go to church because you have to, it becomes just another task.  Also, the longing to work with kids has been so big in my heart for so long that it was nagging me on the inside.  I'm 34 and have waited for 14 years to work with kids. Last Sunday I visited a new church and I was a bit nervous.  I don't skip around just over silly things or passing offenses so this was a big, big deal to us.  It's hard to not have a critical eye and start judging everything around me.  I decided to come with an open heart and was just aching to receive from God.  It had been so long since I really felt God tugging at my heart.  They showed me the kid rooms and I was excited to find out there were classes for ALL my kids!  My teen boys had their own curriculum.  My baby had a nursery.  My toddlers had their own room and the kids in between had children's church.  They were being taught at their level and their understanding which is huge because this is the developing stage.  A really important molding stage for my kids.  No longer would the teaching go over their head, it would be taught at their level of understanding and it's every service!  Beforehand, I had looked online to see if I agreed with their beliefs but I still had to see for myself.  Three things were really important to me on top of the doctrine.  They believe in tithes and offerings, outreach to invite people to church, and giving people at chance at the end of service to accept Christ in their heart.  Yes!  I was excited to see all three!  Another thing that bugs me is getting hugged.  LOL.  I don't like guys chasing me around for hugs and I've had that happen to me when I've visited other churches.  People only shook our hands.  Phew!  They told me in the future I was completely welcome to work with kids and my heart jumped for joy.  I've waited for 14 years to do that and finally I would have the opportunity!  Praise God!  It's obvious I love kids because I have many of my own but it'd be a pleasure to teach others too.  I was able to sit alone with my husband and not have any distractions.  Usually I spend a good amount of the sermon trying to correct a toddler, tell a kid to be quiet, or taking a kid potty.  This time I just got to sit down and really listen.  The sermon really touched my heart and I felt a refreshing in my spirit I hadn't felt for awhile.  Not anyone's fault but mine!  It's just that the sermon was at my level and easy to understand.  Not meaning to make myself sound dumb.  Haha.  I mean, it just met me where I'm at in the stage of my life now.  The kids learned a lot at each of their levels and they are excited to go back.  I hadn't heard them be so excited about church before.  That makes my heart happy.  :) When I had these kids I promised to give them to God, to give the best chance possible to get to know Him.  The molding stage is the most important and I'm so excited for them. 

No comments: