Growing Together

You may remember that Ryan and I were doing “double church” for almost a year. The kids and I had been attending our regular church for more than 10 years, and it was home to us. We saw a lot of changes throughout that time, namely the passing of the founding pastor. This church helped start my faith walk as an adult, and guided me into the basics of my understanding of my faith and desires of my heart. It was the place my kids felt comfortable- where they met new friends, spent weeks at camp, and really began their understanding of faith in connection with how we lived at home. When I met Ryan, he was also rooted in a church. Though he lacked the social fellowship that we had at our church, he was learning and growing in his faith, and wanted to share the experience with me. So, we did 9:30 church at my church, and 11am church at his church. It was an eventful year!

As more changes occurred at my church, and I felt myself actually learning and being challenged at his, I knew that the inevitability of choosing just one church was on the horizon. The kids begrudgingly made the switch to Ryan’s church, and now we’re rooted in one church, together!

Last fall, Ryan and I signed up for a GROW class together. It is an in-depth study of the Bible over a two year span. We started the class just weeks before we got married, and instantly I knew this would be a big challenge for me. The Old Testament is IN-TENSE ya’ll! As a Catholic-raised girl, I studied the Gospels, and didn’t even really do that very well!

This week we covered the book of Ecclesiastes. And when I first read it, I was like “whoa, that is so depressing!” I admit, I never finished the last two assigned chapters of the book (see also: the good part), and so I was left feeling very sluggish, and channeling my best Eeyore behaviors. Once our class discussion started and we unveiled the “good news” of the conclusion of the book, I realized….this is EXACTLY what Ryan and I were talking about the past week. Finding meaning in what we do. Finding the “it” in life. Feeling like we were doing “enough.”

It all comes down to doing life/work/parenting/leadership/marriage ALONGSIDE God! Because without that….we’re left feeling like it’s all meaningless. And really, isn’t it?

I am so thankful to be in a church that challenges me. I am so thankful that I am learning more this year than I’ve learned my whole life when it comes to the Bible and God’s Word. I am so so incredibly thankful to being doing all of this GROWING with Ryan!