Family

This last week at church, Dan talked about family--basically that we all need it--and basically that we are all able to have it even if what we were handed biologically leaves a little to be desired. I've thought many times about this theme of "family" before and was reminded on Sunday of all the things that the Lord has already pointed out to me--really, He has simply shown me ways that He has provided what was previously missing in my life and drastically changed my life as a result.

My family is so great and I do love them a lot but I grew up in a very typical American home that was void of God. I have no doubt that God was at work in my life throughout my childhood regardless of whether He was invited into my home or not, but it wasn't until I was 16 that I became aware that He had been there with me all along.

Since that time, I have been on many incredible journeys in my faith, all of them intertwining and intermingling and while I have learned from them all, it is the journey of "family" that has left one of the most impressionable marks on me. The family I have come to know in the body of Christ has given me a "home" to discover myself in--to walk into my gifts, talents and strengths in a way I never before could have without that foundation of support in my life. When my own immediate family couldn't understand my journey of faith, my church family could. When my immediate family couldn't understand the things I needed to change about myself to move me closer to Jesus, my church family could. And when I was tormented by the things from my past that I didn't want to take into my future, my church family could and covered me in prayer often times without me even needing to ask.

There are instantly names that come to mind when I think of my "church family." It has changed some over the years and it will continue to change as I move forward with my life, but the one thing that will never change is the kingdom value those individuals have had on me. They showed me unconditional love when all I knew was love with conditions. They showed me strength when all I felt was fear. They showed me acceptance when all I knew was rejection. They showed me Jesus.

I share Dan's prayer: that there would be no one without a family--and what this implies is that there would be NO ONE without deep, committed, intentional relationships. We can all find "people" to fill our lives with but what truly makes them family is if they stick around to see you at your worst, loving you even when you're a jerk and sacrificially giving of themselves for you simply because they love you. If this seems impossible to you, let me assure you that it's not. There were many times in my life when I never thought it was possible to have the kinds of relationships I now have--the "family" I now have--and as silent as God may have seemed for so long, really He wasn't because all the while He was with me, forming me and changing me. He never let go of me in the same way that He will never let go of you--on that promise you can stand.

The joy of a crown...

I can't believe it's been so long since I last blogged and I especially can't believe that I am blogging about what I am about to blog about as my reentry into the blogging system but a person has to start somewhere so maybe this will lead to future blogs that will come more sooner than later.

I had a dentist appointment this morning to have two crowns put on. Not a fun visit by any means. What made it so great, though, was that as I was pulling into the parking lot and getting out of my car, I asked the Lord to allow me to be a blessing to my dentist...whatever that looked like...that even though his office was one of the last places I wanted to be, that somehow I would make his day even better because of my time spent in his dental chair.

I don't know why I end up surprised when God answers such prayers as the one I spoke this morning but today He did just that. I heard from both the assistant and the dentist how great it was to start the day with me as their patient. Such a simple request and yet I was able to walk away so much more blessed knowing that God used me and was at work even in the midst of dental work being done. It's hard to put my finger on the feeling I had as I was returning to my car, but it was almost as though my soul sighed with the pleasure of knowing that God lives in me.

I share this with nothing else in mind but to encourage anyone who reads this to invite the Lord into even the most mundane and unpleasant of things and I pray you continue to be blown away time and time again by how much He uses such a simple request to bring a bit of Heaven to earth.