Beautiful blessing

I am someone who has been involved with church stuff ever since I was a baby. Started to get more involved during my high school years and I continued to be drawn to Jesus in college, which leads me today. I started to get involved with a house church (hc) with Common Ground. I stayed with one group for 3ish years and saw a lot of people come in and out of it. It was a really good place for me. For the past month or so I've been thinking about my experience in hc in Indy and my experience so far in eugene. How do you combine those two things?

For the time I was in my hc I was really focused on that group. I was going to college and still had my college friends, but slowly I started to spend a lot of time with my hc. But I think I started to get a little too comfortable in that space. And God started to direct me elsewhere. My time with my hc was what I needed during that time and season I was in. It was not a waste. We need to be in community with people who love Jesus. But I think back to those times and then think of where I am now.

I'd love to see my new friends join us for Wednesday and worship with us. My heart desires and aches for that. But I know I am not in control of that (thank goodness). I know that I need to sometimes be uncomfortable and love people that are not always like me. I loved my hc in Indy, but I need to branch out more then I did back then. I need my community, all the eugene team, but I need my friends outside of it. I realize how comfortable I get if I just focus inwardly. So it's a balance. I could not survive with out the eugene team fighting for me through prayer and support and I could not see the raw beauty of God like I do in my friends that don't follow Jesus. I would miss out on a lot of beautiful moments only God could orchestrate.

So my prayer for all of us is to step outside of our "group" and get to know some people who are not like us. When we do we will be absolutely amazed at who Jesus is. I learn so much about Jesus from the people who aren't involved with "church" and/or "religion". I know that God has comforted me while I've been out here in eugene by using my friends who are not involved with "church". That puts tears to my eyes just thinking about. I wish I could express to you just how much that means to me. What a beautiful blessing.

Much love,
Stacie :)