We have been at our Church for decades and it was formed only one year before we got there. The majority of the members were in their 20’s and 30’s, raising families, as were we!  We, as a church, have grown up together and have made some mistakes. It is not a perfect church and we have considered leaving at times for different reasons, but with each ‘issue’ the Lord never gave us the peace to leave. So, we’ve stayed and have never regretted it.  What has been hard, is when there’s disunity and several families leave.

From the journal . . . November 2018

I was remembering a hard time with our church when several families left.  It was a ‘he said, she said’ situation that looked like someone had to be lying. It was very, very upsetting at the time.  Many people were hurt and many people were really angry.

“Lord, I think the Browns were misguided.  I trust You are working things out for good.  Please Lord, bless them all this day.  Seems so often these things come down to ‘who’ or ‘what’ one chooses to believe.”

And I Believe God Said:

Choice.  I died to give people the freedom to believe.  You would like it to be easier than making a choice but, as your father, I say “It’s better that you choose”.  I have given, and continue to give, everything you need to choose life with godliness. *   My Holy Spirit in you helps you choose.

2 Peter 1:3

Lord, it would be so great if it was always like that but I don’t always listen. 

3/12/21

God has revealed His desire for our freedom in so many ways throughout my life.  It must be a lifetime lesson.  He wants freedom for us because He loves us.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. NIV

  As we strive to love others, I think we need to respect their personal freedom to make choices.  Even the choice to believe.  In court, the attorneys present evidence to the jurors for the purpose of persuading them toward a specific truth.  Jurors and judges have to decide ‘who and what’ to believe.  My dear friends, the Browns, didn’t believe what I believed and felt they had to leave.  Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36 didn’t share the same belief in John Mark.  As a result, the two devoted disciples separated.  God continued to use all three men.  These guys were ALL producing fruit for the kingdom.  They were clearly servants of God and He says don’t judge another man’s servant. Romans 14:4.

Later Paul apparently changed his opinion of John Mark but at the time, Paul was adamantly opposed.  2 Tim 4:11