Here I am again, I feel compelled this evening to share something personal with you. I have been a Christian, let me rephrase that, I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was eight years old. I have been a Christian for the last few months. It takes more than just being a member of a family to fully represent what that family stands for. That being said, for many years I belonged to a certain denomination, I even held the position of pastor of one of this denominations churches. I had gotten away from church and away from God for a number of years. A few years ago I was going through a rough time in my life and was seeking help. I went to several churches in the area in which I now live, one of which was a very large church of the denomination of which I had belonged .I came to services in that church for several months, many times I put their little information cards into the offering plate stating that I was in need of speaking with someone and would they please contact me, I left my phone number, and my address, but was never contacted. One night I was desperate so I called this church and got a hold of one of the associate pastors and told him I needed help, he informed me that he was about to be in a meeting but he would definitely call me back after the meeting and gave me a time when he would call back . After an hour past the time he had told me had passed I was about to give up when finally my phone rang and we set up a time that I could come to the church and talk to him. When I arrived at the meeting, I poured my heart out to him and laid it all on the table. The only help that he offered me was to tell me (several times ) that I just needed to be in church. I left that meeting no better off than I was when I went in ,but I continued to attend the church for a while then finally quit going. A few years later my grandson became involved in a basketball program at another church in the area and as I attended the games I noticed the interaction of the church people that were running the program with not only the kids that were playing but with their parents. After one basketball game I asked my grandson if he would like to go with me to this church on Sunday and he was a little hesitant but I told him, how about we go one time and if he didnt like it we wouldnt go back, he agreed so we went. From the very first Sunday I noticed a difference, the pastor came up to me and introduced himself and invited me to sit with him on the front row, which I did. After the service I talked with my grandson and he told me he wanted to come back, so we did. The next Sunday I was met with the same enthusiasm as before,and after the service the pastor introduced me to one of the other men in the church ,telling me that he didnt want to be the only one I knew when I came. This man that he introduced me to asked me if I would meet him for coffee and I accepted. Shortly after that I made an appointment to talk with the pastor and I laid my life out before him and told him every vile thing about myself and was met with compassion and understanding, and he even told me some things about himself that he had struggled with. I andont my grandchildren still attend that church, I became a member there and the people have been so helpful to me and my life. Sometimes people need more than just an invitation to church. Sometimes they need someone to be real with them and be willing to give of themselves, not with lip service but with their whole being.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 04:21:47 +0000
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