Hello, my friends. I have lots of thoughts going on again, so I’m going to attempt to weave them into a post. We’ll see how it all comes together. Here’s hoping.

Pray. Wait. Trust. For more than 5 years, that’s been my mindset in regard to my life at church. I love my church. I love my church family. I love serving the One who saved my soul. For the past several years, I’ve seen people who were close to me exit. It was hard. I prayed. I stayed. I trusted. I waited.

Last Tuesday, I learned that I would be singing on praise team this Sunday. This Sunday was going to be a big day in the life of our church as we were scheduled to vote on the “church marriage” of two bodies of believers. I always create a playlist on YouTube of the songs, so I can sing through them at least once a day. Well, each day since Wednesday…during one of the songs or another…tears would fall. Not sad tears. Not tears of mourning. Tears of Joy & Thanksgiving.

So, when I would listen to or sing through “I Am”, these lines would trigger the waterworks.

Take me in with Your arms spread wide
Take me in like an orphan child
Never let go, never leave my side

I am holding on to You
I am holding on to You
In the middle of the storm
I am holding on, I am

Next, “Praise” would begin….and on a few of the times I’d listen or sing, these lyrics would spring the leak…

I’ll praise in the valley
Praise on the mountain
I’ll praise when I’m sure
And praise when I’m doubting

Then, the kicker would come in. “How Great Is Our God” by Chris Tomlin. I sang it as a solo in worship when it first came out, and the lyrics were used in today’s children’s message. But…He used them to trigger another leak a time or two…

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Now, looking at those lines, you might wonder…how in the world did THOSE words prompt tears. Oh, my friends, this long road has been hard, BUT…He is and always will be a Great God! As I told the kids (or I think I told the kids), even when we go through hard times and stormy times, God is GREAT. He works all those things together for our good and His glory. Yes, when I was watching people I love leave and go to other churches, I had no clue what His plan was. But…I know that I know that I know….that He IS a GREAT God!

Well, this morning as we practiced, Patty told me to keep singing “those lines” as she sings the “Name above all names, Worthy of our praise, My heart will sing, How great is our God” with the congregation. No problem. It wasn’t…during practice. But….then worship started.

Pastor Brynen moved the sermon up earlier in the service, so his words were in my head….As I got to those lines declaring the greatness of our God, my heart was overcome, my eyes watered, my brain glitched, and….I came in a couple lines later. Goodness.

Well, then it was time for the children’s message. I LOVE giving a children’s message. Today, it meant more. Why? Because…during the sermon I was convicted of an attitude adjustment that needed to happen. Let me explain.

I have taught kids at my church in some form or fashion since I was a senior in high school. Back in the spring of 2020, I “took over” coordinating the “elementary” ministry. I don’t do preschool or nursery ministry because I wasn’t blessed with skills in that domain. However…teaching and interacting with kids. Yep. Got that.

When our two church families started worshiping together, besides thinking…”this is an interesting storyline, God”, I selfishly thought about the elementary ministry. My thoughts were basically…there are SO MANY teachers and parents attending church together, SURELY we’ll have volunteers to serve. Currently, my friend Jennifer teaches one Sunday a month. One Sunday is Family Sunday (that was today). All other Sundays are me. This basically means that I teach kids two to three Sundays a month. I love teaching. I love children’s ministry. But…selfishly, I really thought I’d be down to one Sunday a month.

However, during the sermon today, it was as if God said, “I made you with gifts and you need to use them as long as there’s a need…but I need you to do it JOYFULLY and just focus on Me & the kids.” So, I mean…I won’t turn down people if suddenly I have volunteers willing to teach, but…I’ll keep teaching…with a better attitude.

Well, I mentioned today was the BIG VOTE. Do we merge (I like calling it a marriage of church families instead of a merger…merger sounds too much like a business.) or do we separate? Two colors of ballots for the two separate bodies of believers. And…UNANIMOUSLY …yep you read that right….TWO CHURCHES voted to become ONE. That Good News was shared before communion.

As I prayed before taking communion, the tears started again. This did not bode well for our final praise song. Alas, the music started.

Our final song was “In Jesus Name”. Patty sings the first verse before we join in. As we started singing the first chorus, my lips started quivering as tears started again, and I prayed that I wouldn’t “ugly cry” in front of everyone. I pulled the mic away until I could get my emotions under control…and joyfully sang this song.

So, I just wanted to write this post to say, God is good. Pray. Wait. Trust. Then, CELEBRATE.

God is good. All the time. We may not see how He’s working, but we can trust Him.

If you don’t know Him, here’s some verses I was reminded of while watching “The Forge” this afternoon.

As the movie concluded, my friend and I were standing up to leave, and I saw a couple that attended Calvary many years ago. I was asked a question that I’m often asked by former church members, “Do you still attend Calvary?”

Today, I answered, “Actually, as of this morning (around 11:30 to be specific), I began attending RiverStone Church.” Same building. Same God. But…He’s got something NEW planned for this body of believers. Join us!