6 years ago, Marty and I and the girls stepped out of our comfort zone to go on a mission from God. We had no special skills, no great knowledge of the Bible, and at most we were baby Christians. Marty might have been a toddler but who can tell? There was no blinding and a sight regained instant or even a voice from God moment, just a feeling that I had that I need to do more to change my world after I had spent 72 hours on the spiritual retreat called Walk to Emmaus. Now we weren't going far. It wasn't like we were going out of country or even moving out of state, we were just going to help launch a new United Methodist Church on our side of town. Yet who could have dreamed of the experience and adventure and the transformation that we would experience?
When leaving Cabot UMC, we had done barely anything but worship and Sunday school. We had help start the contemporary service and a Sunday school class (God's creation), that are still very vibrant in that church today but other then me "serving my time" in the kids Sunday school classes and taking my turn with VBS and taking a Disciple Bible Study class, we really were just "Doing" church.
I think in the beginning we were just "doing" church at Christ UMC too but somewhere along this journey it changed. Over the last 6 years, I became the children's director where I researched and researched bible studies, nursery set ups, safe toys for special gifts, VBS materials for 4 very successful summers reaching 100 + children, worked with countless, amazing moms and dads and servants of God and learned what it means to work on a shoe string budget. It was tough but I loved working with the children and listening as they would sing the VBS songs with their motions and come running up and giving me hugs at the knees.
I learned what it means to be a roady in a band doing set up and take down and set up and take down and set up and take down. It gets old in a hurry and isn't very glamorous, especially in the 100 degree heat of July and August in Arkansas.
I became a part of a cell group during the first years of which I was so glad to have Marty lead. I so enjoy hearing him explain the Bible in a way that I can comprehend. But over time we thought it would be good to start a men's study and a women's study and for the life of me I don't know how, I was assigned to lead it. I found new joy in my life. I'm not great and I don't know much but I learned that God will equip me with what I need when I need it during the studies and now I offer a women's study every Thursday evening, we are small in size but these women help grow me more.
Some where among all this I found time to go back and work some of those Emmaus Walks where I was pushed into a new change, public presentation of a talk to women I don't know. I have never been a public speaker and would do everything in my power to avoid it. I even took a lower grade in school to avoid getting up in front of people. But either through the children, the cell group or the women's studies I had learned that God never asked the person we would pick to do it but the one that stuttered or the one that was not the most beautiful to do his work and so I stepped out of that box. I have since been blessed to give 10 Emmaus talks and 1 chrysalis talk and was even an Emmaus Lay Director where I had to stand up all weekend and read long passages to the women.
But God wasn't done yet, having taken a break from children's, He called me to begin working with the youth as a Youth Coordinator. I never thought I could work with youth. They seem like foreign creatures to me but I guess with the blessing of two of the most precious daughters and the blessing of several wonderful Jones boys + Cory, I found a new place to serve. The youth group of Christ UMC has changed so much in this last year. It has grown to 16 who attend regularly now and I can see the start of more growth on the horizon.
During all of this, I wasn't the only one changing or growing. Marty went on his Emmaus walk just 6 months after I did and felt the call to do more. He wasn't sure what but since we had just started with the new church start, he thought it was that. He soon realized it wasn't it and after going back and working an Emmaus walk himself, he came home to tell me that he thought God was calling him to preach. LOL. Good friends had been telling him that for years but I guess he finally heard it from God.
He has been on that path now for 4 of the last 6 years and just last week he completed the last course work and is now a local pastor for the United Methodist Church.
Who would have thought 6 years ago that today, I would be a pastor's wife. Children's - ok, I've always loved kids. Teaching women's studies - ok, they're not that hard you are really just asking the questions in the books and letting the women take you were God wants you to go. Youth - ok that is a bet of stretch but I grew into it with Emily and the Jones boys. But pastor's wife???? Boy does God have a sense of humor. He has been laughing at me for more years then I knew.
I never knew I was growing. I never realized I was being reshaped. I felt the heat of the kiln oh so many times as he would mold me into His design. I felt the pruning of the dead branches I clung so tightly too. And I cried at the pain as we would watch other members come and go.
In all the time, I don't think I ever really thought that He was reshaping me to work in a mission field other then Christ UMC, but today our family closed this book of our lives because God has a plan for us and it's time to move to the next adventure.
It's not good-bye Christ UMC but take care and keep the faith. Continue on this wonderful mission because God has a wonderful plan for you all. If you have been sitting on the edge just waiting for the moment then take the opportunity to jump into God's plan for you. I don't know what it will be, I certainly didn't but I know that if you open your heart and just follow where ever, doing what ever God calls you to do, you will be moved as Marty and I and the girls have been moved and grown during our time at this wonderful church we will always call home.
