...and Sometimes It's Just The Atmosphere

....that I need.

I'm talking about church.

I've never left there without being fired up and motivated about my faith. I walk in emptied and leave filled up. We have amazing pastors and church family. I drive a two hour round trip to attend if that tells you anything. (Because it's worth it.) I'm not even involved in anything. Being an hour away, all I've been able to do is just show up. It's been enough so far though to impact me and my life. In the two years we have attended, I've never once regretted attending a service.

Today was no different from the pulpit. There was a difference today though and it was on my end. It was still motivating and very much a learning environment, but I can't really remember any phrase in particular like I usually do. I usually have a page of "!!"s and "WOW"s and quotes galore to be passed on. Today my notes have a heading and one sentence. That's it. Sometimes I just can't think or listen or analyze. Sometimes everything is just white noise. Sometimes I'm just looking for God and a moment of my spirit being still with him. Sometimes all I can do is just sit there and....breathe.  The lesson is usually always making me want to shout to the world what I just heard or felt. It's just not how I connected today though. I drug in almost halfway through the service. I thought I'd cry if I couldn't just get in and sit there a bit. I didn't leave there on a "high" like usual. I DID leave there peaceful and refreshed. That's what I needed. I'm not saying one or the other is a better reaction. Just different. I think it's ok if every now and then we just need to be tended to by God. We just need to sit with him and just lean on him for a bit and that's ok. There's just something special about seeking and finding it among your church family. It's so instantaneous and powerful. It's precious and I'm so grateful the opportunity and place is available to me to do just this - to leave feeling I have been sung to and held.  I just needed to walk in and marinate in God's presence.


Now - focusing in on talking about an actual home church, - God is everywhere and His presence is where you welcome it, but sometimes He can be sensed more strongly in certain places (church/gathering). I can simply walk into my church's sanctuary and just be absolutely refreshed before I find my seat. It's like literally walking into another world. Whatever I've been worried about or have struggled with...it's like it's instantly erased from my heart at the sanctuary doors. Call me crazy, but the transformation comes like a breeze. There's something cleansing and powerful behind those doors. It's the Holy Spirit. Most times I leave there finding peace about life without even knowing "the hows" and being ok with that. That's God peace and it's His presence that I find in that place. I believe it is created by the leadership and those that support that leadership. It's the simple fact of several believers coming together. That's the importance of church and when you find one where the body is united as the one I attend, it's priceless. It's life saving - literally.

I'll be the first one to tell you all sorts of resources you can use online or through books to be fed spiritually. I see nothing wrong with spending your time and focus on these things. I encourage it actually. It's how I got started back on this path. I use to think that a person didn't necessarily need to physically be a part of a church to be the person they need to be. My thinking is different now. You need it. Everything else should be supplementary.

Having a church home and getting involved is not a social status show. It's not an obligation or routine. "Church is not a museum for the saints. Church is a hospital for the sick."  You should have one and go because you need it. If you truly believe in the word then you will believe in the power and possibilities and promises of being in the midst of a God fearing God loving church family gathered together in agreeance. You should be running to it. God has given us a spiritual family for a reason. It's needed. If you're not welcomed where you are, then keep seeking. Unfortunately, at one time or another, you will be in churches that are not united and you will feel it. They're not all that way though.  If you don't have a church home, I pray God guides you to one and that God's presence in that particular place will have you running to take that step through those sanctuary doors every chance you get.




Matthew 18:20    For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Colossians 3:16     Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, sniging psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.