Wow, its been a long time

Ok, so I know that I haven't been good about keeping up this blog. Seriously, I just feel like sometimes nothing ever happens and who wants to hear about how many times I picked up the dog's poop on walks this week? But, I know that some of you (very few of you) used to look at this to see what is happening in our lives. So in the spirit of fostering communication I will try to take it up again.

So, lets start with Sunday (the first day of the week). Church was a little shy on the numbers this Sunday. Some feel like its just because its summer and particularly that because its August a lot of people are squeezing in their last weekend trips before school starts again. Jeff and I had been doing a lot of leg work last week to try to rally the troops. I don't know how many people I called and chatted with or left messages for. Many of them sounded very happy to hear from me and told me they would see me Sunday. Of course, of all the people that I talked to and stopped in on only one family showed up. Now, this is a family that almost never comes because of some busy thing or just no energy. So it was encouraging that they came, but they were the only ones. Jeff and I talked after church and we felt pretty discouraged. Pray for us. Its intimidating to look at our little church plant and feel like no one is sticking with us. I know that I for one could be doing better to gather people to us, but I am realizing where I am going wrong and trying to improve. Jeff suggested that perhaps our resolve is being tested. After all, we are called to love poeple with no agendas, so as we do this should we expect to get a quick response? If we don't get a quick response, will we stop loving people? Or better yet, if we don't get a response ever, will we stop loving people? As hard and painful as it might be the answer must be, absolutely and without waivering: NO. We can't stop because regardless of the success of Impact Church or the potential damage to our egos, we are called to something higher. To experience personal growth in Christ and to daily endevor to become more like Him. And as we walk and grow and love others without agenda, we invite others to walk and grow and love with us regardless of where they are in the journey. We need to become the Church.

Man, what a journey! Its hard, its going to get a lot harder, but I wouldn't trade it for the world...

Well, I will try to keep up with this blog now. Maybe it will help me to apprehend the thoughts the run wild in my head and tame them into something I can grasp and maybe help others to grasp.

Hope this finds you all well,

John