relate

I'm writing this post from the couch in our church office in Winder as the trains whistle by outside the window. That's one of my favorite sounds... it's nice to be back here today.

Last night my roommates and I said goodbye to a dear friend. She graduated, moved out, and is now about to move off to London. Crazy how much changes in a summer... I've found that a lot of people have grown and changed in the past two months. I think that includes myself.

Life in 100 isn't the same without you, Jackie!

This morning was my first time coming back to River Hills since I left for the summer. I woke up this morning after a whopping um... four hours of sleep last night? maybe? with a feeling of excitement and yet anxiousness. It's difficult being away from something you love for a long time and coming back was a mix of feelings.

I saw a lot this summer. I grew a lot this summer. This morning I sat and talked ministry and leadership with Spencer and he reaffirmed that for me. I miss my team and I miss my family but because of them and because of the work that the Lord did this summer, I come back with a restored picture of what ministry is to look like.

This morning as I drove and prayed over the day, I thought a lot about the church family that I believe I have at Country Woods Baptist back in Mississippi. There are two things in particular that really stand out to me about their ministry, their students, and their leadership there. The first is just how welcoming they are. Community is of utmost importance there and I felt that from the first time I went. Granted, yes, I came as a contact of someone who was already clearly very loved by the people there, but those kids never cease to amaze me at how quick they are to draw people in and how quick they are to love on those they don't even really know. They made me smile so many times this summer and I appreciate the fact that they have a strong sense of community but are still open and willing to invite others in. That can actually be all too rare in a ministry. The second thing that I love about it is this: I see students and adults alike there that have an unbelievable passion and thirst for the Word of God. You can sense the hunger for it in that place and as a result, I really do believe that God is at work at CW in ways that are rare to see in churches. Their knowledge and passion of scripture pushes and challenges me. It is to me a great picture of a ministry that is alive, breathing, and actively seeking out the Lord.

It's getting to see pictures like that one that excite me as I return home to where God has specifically called me to be in this season of my life. I missed my kids in Winder this summer and it brought me so much joy this morning to see their faces once again. I loved catching up with some of the kids and adults, loved that 25 of us went to lunch together, loved seeing all the new faces. The youth ministry has grown so much this summer. Such a strong sense of community is welling up in this place and I'm humbled to be a part of it. I'm also grateful for the experience of stepping outside of it this summer to watch it grow. At lunch Sarah Beth was talking about how her precious daughter grew over an inch taller this summer and how you'd never know unless you measured because it's hard to see the change in things you see every single day. It's the same with the church. While I missed being here, I appreciate the opportunity to be able to look at how many inches it's grown since I saw it last.

And that's my prayer for this place and these kids-- that they continue to build a sense of community and it continues to be a place where we can thirst for the word together. I have a friend who constantly amazes me with how well he invests in the lives of others and how openly he pushes and challenges people in their faith and this is what I've decided: it's because he's incredibly relational. And guess what... so is the Gospel. That's why his style of ministry is effective. That's why I value that community I see growing in ministries. Because the Gospel is relational. Jesus was relational. And by that I don't mean that Jesus was a people pleaser or that the Gospel is an easily swallowed message that is attractive to all people. That actually isn't the case at all. But praise God that our God isn't, in fact, a God that just created us and let us be. No, Jesus came to the earth to walk with us, meet with us, eat with us, love us on a personal one on one level. Jesus spent time with people and their lives were forever changed by it. Look at Zacchaeus in Luke 19. His entire lifestyle and belief system was changed just by Jesus saying 'hey, I know it's against the expectations, but I'm staying at your house. Let's get to know one another.' And that invitation to sit and get to know one another is extended to each of us as well. Relationally. He cares. He wants to know. He loves. We are called to do the same.

So while an afternoon of eating chicken fingers or an evening playing frisbee together might not seem like the most important form of ministry to some, I fully disagree. At camp you'll hear it said over and over again that we believe that ministry happens best in the context of relationships. I believe that for sure. I'm thankful today for a God who walked among us and who loves us enough to care deeply about the insignificant, day by day trials of our lives. That is why we do ministry-- for the sake of people. To meet people, love people, share that message, and equip others to go out and do the same. I'm grateful for the daily pictures of that that I see in living motion. I'm grateful for the Lord's provision and specific calling upon each of our lives.

So those were just my thoughts from the couch on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. School starts back tomorrow... I have such bittersweet feelings about it. I'll now leave you with a video that is entirely unrelated to the rest of this blog post. Season, Anna and I miiiiiiight have jammed out to it last night in the car. Enjoy the throwback :)