That’s when the urge started again to find a church. I would pray asking for guidance for two things, to find a church that would focus on Christ’s teaching and for myself to learn how to do works not just have faith. I had three bible verses that were on my mind. When James said faith without works is dead, when Jesus said to remove the plank from your eye before you worry about the spec in your brother’s eye and when Jesus confronted the men about to stone the adulterous woman he said, he who is without sin cast first stone. These three were very powerful to me.
Now Jane and I still talked about how we missed our old church. Then one day on the way home, we saw an advertisement for an Easter egg hunt and the address was the same as our old church. We couldn’t believe it, but were still hesitant.
After praying the same prayer about finding a church, I felt a pull to try the church. I thought that it would be easy but it was a little harder than I thought. First the website didn’t work, than the phone number was out of service, I found a new number but no one picked up the phone. Jane told me maybe this is God’s way of telling us this isn’t the church for us. But the tug for this church was so strong, finally I decided to just go over there on a Sunday morning. On that Sunday, we over slept, I had stomach trouble and we didn’t arrive until 11:30. Jane says “The service is probably over, I am too embarrassed to go inside.”
I told her that we had gotten up, rushed to get ready, we can at least go inside. I got out of the car and two friendly people welcomed us inside, as it turned out the service started at exactly 11:30. When we sit down, we are immediately welcomed but informed the pastor is on vacation. The service was still very nice, Jane liked it to, and it was nice being back in the old building. We decided to give the church another try.
Just like the previous week we were immediately greeted and everyone was excited for us to be there. I sat down and Pastor Howard began to preach. The sermon was about the circle of faith, works and love. He mentioned all three verses that I had prayed about before. I felt at home and at peace being there. Afterwards Pastor Howard and I talked I told him about what I had been praying about the night before, he told me that the sermon he delivered was not the one he worked on most the week but last night God gave him that message to preach. He also asked if ever wanted to get involved in a church he would find an opening for me.
Everything I had been praying about had been covered in the sermon, we felt at home the moment we walked in. It was all coming together. Than something happened I will never forget.
The Good Word 