Another Nail in the Coffin

Making it even more evident that I'm never going to find another church family I like as much as the one I have at South Main. Sigh :-)

I can still remember the first time Deborah and I visited, after a slew of other churches that neither (okay mostly me) of us liked. Joey- we really went because you offered us a ride (which I thought was awesome at the time because you were out of Rice and still associating with freshmen- oh how the times change) and we didn't want to go back to West U for lack of a ride. Despite being in the upstairs of Main Point, I fell in love with our, albeit tiny, college class. I can even remember how happy/ shocked Sandra was to have us there because we were freshmen that had actually willed ourselves to get up early and go to church- on our own. Jennifer and Mark were so sweet and bubbly and Jim was just Jim.

Worship was amazing- for the first time ever I felt completely at ease in a church. I didn't think that everyone was looking at me and judging me, but that when they approached me they were genuinely happy to meet me. I wish I could remember the specifics of the service, normally I'm so good at details and not the big picture, but I don't remember at all. The only thing that sticks with me is the overwhelming sense that I had finally found the church home that all my friends growing up seemed to have. Deborah and I, of course, looked at a few more churches- but ultimately we decided that South Main was where we, where I wanted to grow at (Joey still willing to give rides- of course). SMBC had something that the other places we looked at didn't. I still don't know what it is, but I think it is a genuineness of faith. Everyone I met knew why they believed and like me seemed to struggle with parts and continue to struggle with parts of their faith, but never gave up on that relationship with God. There was an honesty to South Main that I'm sure is in other churches, but is never quite replicated.

So I grew up there. I was baptized there (a service I still remember vividly). I went away and came back to open and loving arms, and I'm highly doubtful that I'd be where I am today and who I am today if I hadn't been challenged and loved in the same way. Six years (good grief- I'm almost not a new person!) later I still find God leading me back to that family and using that family to equip me to do His work. Yesterday Kevin texted me to say that Skyrocket was playing at the Continental Club that night. Being in Ft. Worth, I actually had to stop and debate if I was going to drive all the way to Houston for the concert and then drive back to Waco. But in the end it wasn't really a question. I love skyrocket (and I was going to get to see Jack!) but I ultimately decided to drive back because I miss everyone. I never would have believed that at some point in my life I would be at a club with my Sunday school teacher and leader, the youth minister, two women from my Bible study, and a slew of other adults from the church (skyrocket is a 70s cover band- so I'm typically one of the youngest) dancing and singing songs that my parents taught me, such as Brandy (What a Fine girl) and Dancing Queen- and having more fun than I've had in a really long time. We even went to iHop after, and despite being an adult- I was still offered several guest beds if I wanted to sleep before driving back and promising that I would text and let them know that I has made it back to Waco safely (believe me- I was completely wired awake, and if I thought I wouldn't have made it back safely I would have stayed the night).

We often talk about if church is a place about worship or relationships. I don't think you can have one without the other and it still be a Church. God calls us into relationship with Him and with each other. Ultimately I came because I could worship and the worship felt correct, but I stayed and continue going back on a much more regular basis than I probably should considering where I live, because of the relationship.

So thank you: Joey, Jim, Jennifer, Mark, Sandra, Marie, Steve Wells, Erin, Jeff, Steve and Dolores Rader, Amy, Kevin, Thomas, Chelsea, Greg, Katie, Kate, Patti, Emily, Toni, Josh, the Moores, the Durands, Melissa, Sean, Deborah, and everyone else I've forgotten for making SMBC my home.