This post has more to do with my faith rather than a weight loss journey but I have always given the Lord much of the glory in my weight loss journey. I believe that everything in life is a journey and our walk as Christians is one of those too. As some of you know Tony was raised Mormon and I was raised Methodist. A bit of a different upbringing. We have not found a church that we both feel that we want to be apart of. I guess I should only speak for myself but overall the consensus is that we refuse to “play” church. We do not want to say and do something on Sunday morning and then do something totally different rest of the week. We have many christian influences in our lives and I feel like I have grown so much in my faith lately. We have had a certain church working hard to get us to join them and to be honest….I am very grateful for their interest, prayers and constant trying but of late the pressure is getting more than I can handle and if anything is starting to push me away. So this weekend was a great opportunity for me to “listen for the answer” that they have been encouraging me to listen for. I am a strong believer in prayer but I have not heard the Lords voice say…”Jane Sprandel this church it the one right church and this is where you should go as a family.” Well last night specifically we had talked about not watching the Chris Tomlin concert instead we were going to go ride some rides. This sort of bummed me out but I knew the kids wanted to ride more. Tony suggested that we catch at least a few songs….well we stayed for the entire concert and I really heard the answer I have been looking for. We need a church that is contemporary, lively, loving, and able to recognize that everyone is unique and we have all sinned and continue to sin. Something that Chris Tomlin kept saying during his concert was the idea of “the church” all singing together worshipping together being “one“. I had just been told a few days prior that unless I am in church I am not following Christ to my potential….do I believe that? Heck no!!! I think it is how I live my life not how many services I attend, how much money that I give the church, or what I even wear to church. So as I listened to Chris Tomlin lead the Lord’s church in worship last night I felt the spirit loud and clear…I had some tears come to me because I knew it was time to listen to my Lord not what I am being told by a specific church. During a moment in the concert Tony and I were standing hand and hand together and I told him I was so glad we stayed and that I really needed this concert…we needed this moment of worship. I told him it was to bad that we would not have a chance to talk later in the night since we had a very small hotel room and 3 kids but I had heard my answer….we needed a contemporary Church where I can worship and feel safe, loved and able to be there for God and not to “do the right thing” in the eyes of others. So this Sunday we traveled home from Ohio and next weekend we will be in Kentucky. I have been telling Tony for a while that I think we need to check out some churches and find the one that compliments us, encourages us to be better in our faith, and one who allows us to grow and glorify our lord rather than one that we are just going through the motions. I have talked to a few of you about your church but if you have a good recommendation of a church in the Champaign-Urbana area let me know.
Sorry to those of you typically read my blog for weight loss and lap band content but if you read this article and were able to question your walk with the Lord today I am glad. We all have our struggles it is part of our faith. We all have sinned, we all continue to sin but that is okay because a GREAT man died for YOU and I. He would do again for each one of us, he only asks that you believe in him and know that he is the 1 true God. May you have a blessed week!
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment