It is one of those days when I just kind of feel like I’m in a muddle. Kind of dragging through the things I need to do. Trying to get out to the gym, which I know will help my attitude…but the hard part is walking out to the van! This too shall pass!

Anyway…after reading some comments, I was again reminded of dear friends. God has a way of sending them in when they are greatly needed. You are having a ‘down’ day and you receive a phone call that leads to a discussion about the Bible or God. Friends stop by and the same thing takes place. What an uplift of the soul!

But the best ‘friend’ we could ever have is always right there in the pages of our Bible. Waiting to encourage, instruct and show His love toward us.  I go there a lot and God always directs me to the passages of scripture I need for that moment. It is the same kind of dialogue you have with a friend on the phone or out visiting…but you can always be assured it will be edifying to your soul.

So today, I’m just really thankful for God-centered friends in my life. For their encouragement, their prayers. If we have that and God in our lives…who could be against us?

It’s time for church…is your world falling apart and are we all stressed? When our hot water heater started flooding the bathroom last September, it was on a Wednesday. The night that we have AWANA at our church. Yes, my husband was able to take a shower that night and we headed off to AWANA, a couple well-placed buckets by the hot water heater. Yesterday, when the kitchen sink backed-up again…an ongoing problem since the plumbing was not installed properly…I did what I always do and plunged it, used Draino. Well, when it started backing up into the bathtub, and a lot of black gunk with it, that was not good. This time, my husband could not take a shower obviously since the tub looked like something out of a horror movie. So, I went to AWANA with two children, on parent’s night no less. My husband spent the evening crawling under our house, taking LOTS of that black gunk out of our pipes!

Why does it seem like all the emergencies, bad weather, arguments and car problems happen on Wednesdays or Sundays? Or is that just my impression because church is supposed to be an important part of our lives? I try hard to make it a priority, have everything ready and yet something always seems to happen anyway. Is this really a Satanic influence or me just not being vigilant enough to keep it together in times of stress. I remember the pastor of our last church preaching on this one Sunday when he was in James. He was talking about the mouth and all the trouble it can get us into. He said he could remember so many times when his four children were growing up that they would all be arguing on the way to church…and then of course have to be happy and smile as you walked in the door! I know I’ve been guilty of that one. I usually do get back in fellowship during the first chance that I have and the rest of the day goes beautifully. How do you all handle your Sunday morning rush or the Wednesday night panic to get dinner, home-work and out the door in time for prayer meeting? I’d love to hear your viewpoints on this!

By the way…my husband did get the problem fixed at midnight and was able to take a nice hot shower. The bathtub drained better than it has since we moved in!!

This post is going to be a little more personal than what I would usually write about. It has been something that has been weighing heavily on my mind and heart for a long time.

We have been attending our church since 1999, with the exception of the two years that we were in upstate New York. There in New York we attended a church that our whole family enjoyed and really felt a part of. The fellowship there was amazing, the encouragement and the ability to function in our spiritual gifts.

So, now we are back here in the mid-west attending the same church that we left when we moved a few years ago…and it just isn’t right. The people there are very dear to us because we have known them so long, but as for the fellowship, the encouragement and the ability to function in our spiritual gifts…that just doesn’t exist. There have been some hurts along the way too, which also makes it hard, but that happens all through life.

So, are YOU happy where you’re at? Is the church that you are attending meeting your spiritual needs as far as teaching God’s word, fellowship with other Believers, encouragement for you as well as you offering encouragement to others? Are you able to function in your spiritual gift?

I think it is very difficult in this day and age to find that little niche in our local church, but when we do…it’s wonderful. I know, I’ve had that before. But do we run everytime our needs are not met, or do we hang in there, trying to be an encouragement to others that may be experiencing the same problems and thoughts?

I know my husband has a tendency to ‘hang in there’ and I know as his wife, my responsibility is to follow his lead. Maybe that’s why I’ve enjoyed talking with all of you so much, because I can talk about doctrinal issues and other topics that I’m not able to discuss at our church. Most people there don’t seem to have much of an opinion on most of those topics and if they did they would not want to share them.

Again, we are where my husband has decided for now, even though he is discouraged and missing what we had. Have any of you ever had this experience and would you be willing to share it?