Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Transplant Transition

I’m a firm believer that in order for healing to take place, we have to be honest.  I don’t necessarily think that means we tell everybody everything
 (although for me, I have a hard time with this, I seem to tell it all to everybody or nothing to nobody).

When we are honest about an issue, first with God, and ourselves, and then with others, we can heal up and move forward.

Most times, I just want to move forward and act like some stuff never happened.  The problem with this, is it isn’t honest and it doesn’t allow for complete healing, it leaves people feeling awkward and fake.
I am really good at being awkward and I'm really bad at being fake, so to help avoid as much of both of these as I can, it's just good to give some honest clarity.

I don’t think a blog or social media is a place to vent or process things, but I do think it’s a place for honesty.   If I’m going to put myself out there it needs to be honest and if I’m going to call people friends, even facebook friends, I had better treat them like a friend, even if it’s pretty surface, it can still be an honest surface.

I also believe addressing the elephant in the room can make room for a lot of other things that belong in that space.

We have processed with the peeps that were part of the process, and now it's time to get up and move on.

We have had to make some changes.  We have had a body change. 
 We have transitioned into a different body.
*OK…I know in our culture, in our time this is not funny…well maybe a little*
I'm talking about a church body.  
*For people unfamiliar with
 “church talk”
We worship in a different local church; we belong to a different body of believers.*

We still worship the One and only true God and believe the only TRUTH is God's Word,
 we just worship with a different  group of  people corporately, on a regular basis.

When you are part of THE CHURCH, you are part of God's family no matter where you attend.

This change has felt more like an amputation than a transition at times.
 We are now feeling like we are going to live again, and it’s more like a transplant that was necessary for our health and growth.

It’s taken awhile to realize and accept that we needed a transplant, and then we needed to find a healthy match, and now we are learning how to function and healing is taking place.

Many of us tried together in many ways to make it work with the body we were in, but it became unhealthy for everyone involved.  These kinds of transplants hurt, and take a lot of time to diagnose, and they cause a lot of pain in the process, but they are better in the end.

Where we worship is a big deal to us.  We don't take it casually.  Charlie and I spent too many years just taking it casually and it was dead feeling.  We knew we were supposed to go to church, and we loved Jesus, but it was pretty boring.  We have learned how precious it is to be a part of a body and live it out, and there is nothing casual or boring about it.

 9 years ago, for the first time, we began to understand that we can actually be a part of what God is doing, in our lives, in our time; that God has invited us into His Kingdom work.
We jumped in and made a big splash, and also muddied some waters.
When this bunch is invested, we come with a lot of energy, and we add a lot of diversity, and we come on strong and roll in hot. 
We pour all we have into where we are, and sometimes it’s too much for the people around us.
  We can freak people out. 
 I understand this, as I’m freaked out by us on most days.

  We realized THIS was the only way to live and feel truly alive.
We don't do any of it perfect and many times we flail (thus the muddy water), but thankfully we have a God that takes care of us and the people around us and never gives up on any of us, and He can use all that we offer to Him, even if it's mud sometimes.


Charlie will forever be grateful for the opportunity to build a church building.
 It has been a highlight of 27 years and running of his building career.  To be a builder and a  Kingdom builder at the same time and place, was a privilege and an honor.
 Charlie was humbly honored for the opportunity to preach on several occasions, and officiate the wedding of his daughter, on the same stage that he literally laid the wood on and  hammered the nails into.
 He poured out his blood, sweat and tears both physically and spiritually right in that same spot. 

Hebrews 3:4 (ESV)

(For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)


We have experienced some amazing works of the Lord in our own lives and many of the lives we will be connected to for eternity in that body.
 We will always remember with thanksgiving.

I believe when we sit around in heaven and talk about the things we experienced God doing in our lifetime, for us, there will be some good stories to retell about this part of our journey.

We stand on the TRUTH that God is a God of reconciliation and restoration, and we don’t get to be in charge of how or when that happens in any given situation.
We know that He works all things together for our good and for His glory.


Ephesians 1:6-11New Living Translation (NLT)

So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.


God is amazing and we will do whatever it takes to grow in the grace and the freedom and the joy that He bought and paid for us on the cross.

So, if you see us every week, or you see us once a year, or at church or in the park or grocery store, we are confident that God’s Kingdom is ever growing, and it is big and beautiful and messy, and it's His Kingdom, not ours, so we must follow His Way, and His leading in our lives for our good and for His Glory.

Ephesians 2:8-11English Standard Version (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this, Jenay! We have been feeling like we don't fit in at our church anymore but haven't felt any direction. I appreciate this and your honesty! God bless!
Amy