I love Church

I love church. 

That isn’t  a statment that hasn’t always been true in my life. I’ve been attending every Sunday (aside from sevear sickness, childbirth and the few weeks of recovery between birthing two offspring) for over half my life. I am a church member, I help lead activities, and I am even an ordained minister- who hasn’t always loved church. Maybe you can understand what that is like… Or maybe I am the only one. 

I love church. Not the building, even though I go to church that also happens to be an amazing community center with rock wall in the foyer and the largest indoor aquatic center in all of Arizona- that’s all out of this world, but not why I love it. The building is cool, but really, it’s just brick, mortar, and some cool features. It’s just a building. 

I love church. Not just the activities that happen between 10am-12:ish am on Sunday morning. Great things happen during this time. The music is on point, the graphics on the screen are artistic and theamatic, and the sermons keep my attendition And  provide a space for prayer and introspection. This is a time I look forward to every week. But this isn’t why I love church. This is just a service. 

I love church. I love going to a space where I feel totally free to be myself while knowing I am loved and accepted. I love praying at the altar with people who are on the same journey I am; we figure it out together. I love working with kids during the week to share Jesus and teach them something new. They call me Miss Pretty. They are smart and observant children. 

I love that after an extremely long weekend my pastors are in no rush to leave this sacred space. Instead of going home straight away, they all stay and play with my children. Really PLAY- crawling on the ground, fully engaged. My kids matter to them. The children and teens matter to all of us. There is no doubt that  kids are fully a part of this faith community too. 

I love church. I love being a part of something so selfless and so much bigger than ourselves. I love knowing I’m a part of what God had in mind with all this church buisness. I love that we shine The light of Jesus in dark places, and I love that we aren’t afraid to shine that light to each other through it all.