What?? You're not going to church anymore?

Why is it as Christians your either going to church and being good or not going to church and being bad. There seems to be no inbetween for most people.

I've attended church off and on since I was a little girl. I got baptized when I was 8 and went to church most Sunday a.m., Sunday p.m. and Wednesday p.m., plus VBS during the summertime, visitation on Tuesdays, etc., etc.

When I entered my teen years I started to fall away from Christ. I'd have to say that most teens do unless they are just smart.

I was out of church for quite some time and yes, I was not going to church and I WAS BEING BAD! I ended up a divorced, single mother who smoke and drank most of the time. I was, to say the least, pretty miserable and selfish back in the day.

God wasn't finished with me yet. I ended up marrying a great guy-yep, Daniel, and started going back to church and started being good again. I got soooo goood that I started really judging those that didn't go to church and judging those that didn't follow the rules that I was following. I know, real good huh?

I was just like most people who go to church. I was doing my part in the Christian walk and I was better than anybody who wasn't doing theirs.

Let me just say that no church is a perfect church. Churches are full of imperfect people. Seriously wacked out people at that! I was one of them.

About 8 years into Daniel and myself attending church we started to get very critical of things. Let's just say that we saw the imperfections of things. (Did I mention I'm very judgmental...I didn't claim to be perfect!) We both started to feel the pull to pull out of church. We, both of us, felt the Holy Spirit leading us out of church.

So, your question is like it was mine..."Why would God want you to stop attending church?"

#1. Hindsight is 20/20

#2. Church is not God

#3. Leaders are not God

#4. Church cannot be my savior

#5. I became part of God's church when I asked Jesus into my heart

#6. Church is not a building

#7. Trust God with your next step

#8. Too much influence is not good influence

#9. Time to focus in on what we need to focus on (be Holy Spirit led)

10. This is the next season for us

#1. Hindsight is 20/20: Wow, what an understatement. I didn't realize the bondage that I was in until I stepped out of church. I've felt more freedom in Christ since I've stepped out. I'm more Holy Spirit driven rather than rule driven. (Being rule driven made me very judgmental)

#2. Church is not God. I was very afraid to stop going to church. All my life I thought that going to church was just what good Christians did. Not if the church has become your God.

#3. Leaders are not God. Some leaders can be viewed as Gods. I was unhealthy as I entered church and I was looking for 2 things-- significance and security-- and I found those things in the leadership and just by attending.

#4. Church cannot be my savior. As long as I was attending church and doing what I was supposed to be doing I felt safe.

#5. I am a church. When Jesus entered my heart I became part of his body. All believers are part of the body of Christ whether or not they attend church on a regular basis or not. I can serve others, love others, etc. without having a church to call home because Jesus is home in my heart!

#6. Church is not a buildling. goes with #5.

#7. Trust God with your next step. This was so HUGE for me. Church brought so much significance and security to my life that I doubted the Holy Spirits calling for me to step out of church. I fought God on this for at least 6 months. The next step for me was to trust that God would be with me if I came out from underneath the umbrella of the church.

#8. Too much influence is not good influence. We had so much influence and advice we didn't know what to do with it. It almost drowned out what the Holy Spirit was trying to tell us as a couple and as individuals.

#9. Time to focus in. As a couple and as individuals we needed to know what direction God wanted us to go in for our marriage and ourselves. We want to know what God has intended for us, not what humans have intended for us. We needed to learn how to trust the voice within, the Holy Spirit.

#10. For a season. We feel like not attending church is for a season for us. If you were to ask either of us if this is forever we'd probably both say, "No, just where we need to be right now." Neither one of us feel spirit led to attend anywhere specific or anywhere at all. We are focusing in on hearing God's voice, the desire to follow his voice and the courage to do what it is he is asking us to do.

Some of the people I used to attend church with have made comments like, "I miss you.", "Hope everything is okay?" , "Did something bad happen?", "Are you going to church anywhere?"

Hope this blog answers those questions.

I must also say that the church we attended for 9 years of our marriage taught us many great things about God and ourselves and we are thankful. We met many brothers and sisters in Christ there and even though we no longer attend there we still view you as our brothers and sisters in Christ. We hope that you view us the same as well. No matter what, if you claim to be a Christ follower and I do too then we are related through Christ!

Living Loved and Freely,

Elizabeth

Happy 21st Birthday Dianna!

Your Impact!

21. Your friendship (because your no longer a little girl)

20. Your love for your son (because you became a mother this year)

19. Your jazzy dance moves (at Chipola)

18. Your laziness (in sleeping in until 12 or 1 or 2 or 3)

17. Your determination (graduation from BHS and getting scholarships)

16. Your drive (I ain't talking about your driving abilities either!)

15. Your cry (relationship heartbreak)

14. Your laugh (always brings me joy)

13. Your love (started for more than just Mom and Dad)

12. Your jealousy (new step-dad and sister)

11. Your stage presence (when you won your first pageant title)

10. Your smile (always happy to see this)

9. Your beauty (everyone said so)

8. Your forgiveness (you suffered and forgave)

7. Your support (when I made a difficult choice)

6. Your fun side (when we'd go to White Springs)

5. Your talent (when you sang, "Hello Operator")

4. Your intelligence (when you'd outsmart me to get a toy)

3. Your thick hair (that I would brush and blow dry)

2. Your temper (Got me upset many times)

1. Your brown eyes (Like Grandpa Pelton's)

0. Your a girl! (I wanted a girl)

21 years ago I didn't realize all the joy having a daughter would bring. I'm so thankful and blessed to have you in my life. I hope you have a great 21st birthday! Looking forward to the ways that you will continue to impact my life as my daughter! Love you Nanner!

Love,

Your Mom!

...And we are witnesses of this fact!

In the book of Acts Peter and John heal a crippled man. The only reason they are able to do this is because Jesus gave them the power to do it. (Acts Ch 3)

What about my life is a witness of the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead?

I don't think I can tell you. I think that people that knew me before and know me now could tell you how my life is a witness for Christ and what he has done for me.

What I see is different about me is that I no longer smoke, I'm not quite as selfish as before, I'm getting to be other's focused, I'm more willing to admit that I'm wrong.

I just think that it is so amazing that Peter and John were able to heal a lame man because Jesus gave them the power to do it so that their actions could be a witness to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah and he died on the cross and was raised from the dead.

How are my actions witnessing the power of Jesus lives within me? Am I even tapping into that? I know I haven't healed a lame man recently or ever.

I guess reading that this morning made me ponder that question of how is my life a witness of that fact? Maybe you can ponder it too about your life and let me know your thoughts.

I want to be limestone and/or sandstone.

On April 18, 2010, my husband, daughter and myself went on a canoe trip together. I've never been canoeing before. It turned out to be a very relaxing and fun time for us all.

We canoed on what's called the Econfina creek. What I can now tell you about this creek is that it has a couple of natural springs. Matter of fact, there is a bottled water company created from this creek.

I've never seen a bubbling spring before. My husband pulled up to a spring so that I could look down into it. The water was extremely clear and as I looked down from the canoe it looked like diamonds were popping out of nowhere. It was really dark underneath those diamonds. You could also see that the water was slowly bubbling up to the surface. Beautiful! Breathless!

I got fixated on this bubbling spring for a couple of weeks. Woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it. Took a walk thinking about it.

I'd like to think that I'm a thinker. I can think about one little thing for a long time and just tear it apart (or analyze it to death)! I'm also a believer and lover of Jesus Christ.

In John Ch 4 there is a story told about a woman who goes to a well to try to get some water out of it. She runs into Jesus sitting there. Jesus asks her for a drink of water. The woman is shocked because this jew shouldn't even want to talk to her because of who she is. Jesus says to her, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me and I would give YOU living water."

Her reply, "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?...."

Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will NEVER be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

So, what exactly is the water that Jesus gives? It's living water like a bubbling spring. Did you know that water that comes out of a bubbling spring is pure and drinkable? Basically cleaned up rain water!

So how do we get the water in? Well, where does the water for the spring come from? First, it has to rain! I believe the water that Jesus gives comes into our lives like rain. It's either by one sprinkle, a few drops or a bucket at a time.

One sprinkle could be a kiss or a kind word from someone, either a friend or foe

A few drops could be a sermon, a good book or advice from a friend

A bucket of water could be a painful experience that you've come out of, a healing touch, laughter

Here's the question? How much rain does it take to become a bubbling spring?

Well in John 7: 37 it says..."Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink for the Scriptures declare, "Rivers of living water WILL FLOW from the heart of anyone who believes in me."

According to this scripture as long as we believe in Jesus then living water WILL FLOW from us. Sounds to me like we don't have to "do" anything to get this flow of water. We just need to accept Jesus into our hearts and wait for the rain. This verse is a promise and guarantee that if we believe we will be a bubbling spring. Bubbling spring= beauty, diamonds, overflow, pure, fresh.

Did you know the process that rain water has to go through to become a bubbling spring? Well, I didn't either so I googled it. Check out this video.

So, rain comes down like I said earlier, then we have to be permeable (or weak) to allow the rain water to seep deep down into us. If we are impervious like asphalt then the water just evaporates. Have you ever seen pavement when the sun is beating down on it after a rain? The water just evaporates and it looks alot like steam! So, if the rain water doesn't have time to go beyond the surface then it just looks like steam. Mmm?

How many times have I received some rain from God and attempted to do too much and then I ended up letting out alot of steam? Got burnt out (not by the sun in the sky), angry and tired. Help me count the times!!

When we wait and have patience then it gives the rain the time to seep in and go beyond the surface. The deeper it goes the purer it becomes. I like the fact that Mr. Jones said in the video that rain water is full of impurities. That is so true. We get alot of our rain from others and unless it is coming direclty from Jesus Christ then it is going to have some impurities in it. Jesus has to take it and make it pure and the only place to do that is deep within the heart, once it has passed through all of our imperviousness and into the permeable parts of us. I think the impervious parts of us are the parts of us that still believe in many of the lies that the serpent has fed us over our lives.

As humans we are way more likely to be impervious because of past hurts and fear. After seeing the bubbling spring and how beautiful it was I want to pray that I will from now on be permeable. I want the living water to seep deep down into my heart so that I can be beautiful and bubbling from within. I can be pure because Jesus Christ lives within me and he is pure living water!

For me sometimes the overflow or the bubbling spring is tears. Because tears for me means I let go of all control and allow the Holy Sprit deep within and it cleanses me.

In the video Mr. Jones also says that Temples were built around springs. This means that people were drawn to the spring because it was pure and drinkable. I believe the more we allow the living water deep within the more people will want to be around us because we are giving off an air about us that others want to share in. Plus, if we are not bubbling over then people can drink from us and then comes the steam again!

Can we deplete our bubbling spring? Of course, we are afterall human. This is why we have to depend on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for more rain water each day. There is a promise for more when we are dry.

Isaiah 48:11 The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an every-flowing spring.

So, yet another promise to fill us up again and again!

You want to be a bubbling spring? Pray this with me!

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to you because of what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross. I thank you for the water cycle and what it means to me. I pray that I will be permeable and allow your living water to reach the depths of my heart and that you will cleanse all of my impurities so that I will be a bubbling spring for you. Thank you for your love for me!

Amen

Living Loved and Freely,

Elizabeth

P.S. Why does God use water to describe things? Because it is very adaptable. It can be a liquid, solid or a gas. More stories to come on water and walking with God.