Road Closed

Sunday mornings are a little crazy for us. After talking with other families, it seems that Sunday mornings can be some of the most stressful mornings. It really bothers me because it really shouldn't be this way but yet it doesn't surprise me because satan hates for families to go to Church together so I believe that his hardest working day of the week is probably Sunday mornings. I really try, against my natural self, to get up on time and be very intentional about watching the clock and trying my hardest for us to be on time and maybe even have some time to spare. My husband wants to be at Church at least 15 minutes before starting time so that we have plenty of time to drop Walker off and actually fellowship, use the bathroom, and take a couple of (spiritual) deep breaths before the service begins. When mornings actually run like this, which I'm proud to say are more often than not, he and I can be kinder (is that a word?), more patient, and we find it easier to freely give grace to each other. 

This morning was a typical Sunday morning. It is a lot easier here because Church doesn't start until 10:30 when at home, we went to the 8:00 am service. So we were walking out the door by 9:15 (it takes about 50 minutes to get there plus we like a little extra time now to talk to people since we don't know that many people). Everything was going normally until we were on the interstate and we saw flashing lights that said "Road Closed" and then we realized we didn't have the GPS. We knew exactly how to get to church so we didn't think that we would need it...wrong were we! I tried to pull up a different way on my phone but the only other way would put us 15 minutes or more late getting to church so we just decided to go home. We thought about going to 2 different churches in Cheyenne but by the time we decided Walker was asleep and we were almost home. I already had reservations about that anyway: Do they have a secure pre-school, what are they going to preach on and will it be truth- I get so afraid of being deceived or mis-led...I am an anxious woman, I know.  So we just decided to watch Pinelake live on the computer and have church in the living room. After the sermon got started, I realized God wanted me to hear this. 

The very first time I visited Pinelake, I knew that God wanted me there and He wanted to grow me like never before. That church is where I was saved, discipled, baptized and loved on. For me it is my home, my birthplace, and now I can see that it was my "safe place." Sometimes I get scared being out here away from my "home" church. I don't feel like I'm equipped enough to discern false teachers. I want to stick so close to Elevation church and our Pastor there because it's comfortable and I don't have to use so much discernment. But God is showing me that He desires me stick close to Him...not any man and I know that God is calling me outside of the 4 walls of that church. I know that He is calling me to people and each person comes with their own set of beliefs that may or may not be different from my own. I feel like we will be involved with other churches; serving alongside them and heck, I may even be in a Bible study somewhere besides Loveland and I have to be okay with that. Be ok that it's outside the 4 walls, that it's with different people; but I also have to discern and be very wise and therefore I HAVE  to stay in the Word. In the REAL Word, the truth, so that when things are different I will not be decieved or led astray (as my fear would tell me) but that I will know the truth. See, I don't have to be afraid. I don't have to feel un-equipped because God is here with me. Unlike a college student, who is off away from their parents, I am not away from mine...He is here. Just because He moved me away from my church family doesn't mean He left me and that gives me peace. He instructs me to walk closely with Him and STAY in HIS word. You know, there was a point in the sermon when Chip said that he really didn't want to preach that message today but I am so glad he did and I know that God had me in mind...He knew the road would be closed...He knew that I would be leary of visiting another church...and He knew that I would reach for my comfort, my normal, my "home" and in my desperation and my frailty, He showed me that I need to reach for HIM. He is my only comfort, my only normal, my only constant, my only HOME and He is here and satan cannot snatch me away from Him!

Please pray that we will walk closely with God, sensitive to His leading, Sober and alert of His word, and safe in HIs truth. 

I am so thankful that road was closed this morning because God had a word for me and I didn't even have to drive 50 minutes away to hear it.

In Him,

Candace

P.S. You can catch the sermon at pinelake.org/sermons