Finding a new church home

It's Sunday. All week I've psyched myself up to visit church again. I have a church home, my family's church. Over the years it wasn't seeming to meet my needs. The pastor, I love, his sermons inspire me; at rough times in my life he has been a confidant and guide. My soul needed more though. As I sat in the congregation, I looked around and saw a lack of diversity. In my heart I knew it was time to start seeking a place where my daughter wouldn't stand out in the crowd, even a congregation as nice as my church home.

This weekend I kept studying the myriad of Sunday School classes at a different church. It was time to move from the sanctuary to the next level. Sunday morning arrived, I reviewed the spreadsheet online again, knowing full well that the only way to find a place in a mega-church is to connect with the smaller groups. I made deals with myself. First the dogs would get a long walk, if there was time, I'd go to Sunday School, otherwise, just try the Sunday worship as opposed to my occasional visits to the Saturday evening service. Ok, dogs were walked, and I managed to shower, dress and even curl my hair in record time. The Lord was making this too easy. Satan was pulling me the other way. Finally I told myself I could visit the nearby Super Target if I just went. (Nothing like incentive, right, besides God knows my heart.)

I show up at the mega-church and found a quick parking spot. Ok, not funny Lord. If He kept this up, I'd have time to find a Sunday School class rather than ducking into the Sanctuary for the early service. I ran up the steps and entered the door. A woman was getting a cup of coffee and looked over. I smiled and was greeted in return. I saw her enter the first church classroom nearby. The sign on the door said Womens Bible Class - All Ages. Ok, Lord, not funny, obviously I was meant to enter the door. I walked in and took a seat in the front row, kinda close to the door...

It was a small class, only about a dozen women. I noticed many name badges on the wall and wondered if this was the typical size or if a very large number of women were already at Target, instead of in Sunday School. The women were a friendly mix of single and married, most my age or a older. I truly didn't want to judge, but I'll admit to thinking "hmphh, this class is too small." Ok, Goldilocks, what did I want? I'd asked for a smaller group and one had been presented right to me, as soon as I had entered the church.

I looked ahead at the posters on the wall, it was then that my heart skipped a beat, the first poster I read said "CHINA - moving toward opportunity." The next poster spoke to my soul:

GO where you never thought you would.
DO what you never thought you could.
BE who you always knew you should.
Take Jesus to China.

To be honest, I didn't fully get all I could out of the class lesson, I felt unprepared. I was distracted. My eyes continued to be drawn back to the posters. Each line spoke to me. Maybe I've found a church home afterall.

All of this reminds me, God is in control. Everything will be ok. I can step out of the boat and not sink if I keep my faith in Him.

And that trip to Target...well, Chloe now has a nice assortment of sippy cups and BPA-free dishes. Maybe one day in the future, as we sit down to eat, I'll be able to share with her how I found our church home, and that God truly does work in mysterious ways.