A Firm Foundation: Digging Deeper

The first step for my summer in the big city was finding a great church to go to on Sunday mornings, and a great community to escape to after a long work week. Although my usual approach to finding something in the big city begins with the never-ending knowledge of google, this time I had to rely on something other than my new world technology.  I knew I wasn't going to find the church of my dreams by examining the top three search results that popped up on my computer screen.

 And so the search begins...  My problem with choosing a church and community in Houston, Tx. wasn't that there weren't enough to choose from.  The problem was there are sooo many, and I don't have the time to church hop all summer, and never truly commit.  Luckily, the Lord always provides the help when I need it. I was invited to a church my friend Daniel leads worship at, Grace Bible Church in The Heights.  Something was telling me to give it a try, so Jordan and I decide to visit together for the first time last week.  From the moment we walked in, we felt at home. It's hard to explain the feeling of knowing you are exactly where you are suppose to be, with exactly the right people, at exactly the right time, but that is the only way to describe it. Everyone was so friendly, so inviting, and I even met some Aggies.  Needless to say we had found a home away from home.  From the music, praise, and fellowship that was so evident in this community, to the wisdom of the pastor, something about Grace just grabbed me and pulled me in.  It was inviting, and exactly what I needed for my summer of growth.  Not only do they have 4 services every Sunday, but they have Thursday nights of fellowship. This Thursday I was able to join the Grace community for dinner on the patio, followed by gathering in The Word.  I look forward to meeting more and more people, and continuing to dive deeper into this little treasure in the heart of the city.  Today is Sunday July 1st, one week later, and our second time to attend the morning service of Grace Bible Church.  Today's visit was even more moving than last weeks, which I thought was pretty impossible. God never ceases to amaze me. As we continue to study the book of Genesis, I continue to see things that I had never seen before.  I have read Genesis many times, but the deeper look into the book, and the new perspective is allowing me to experience unimaginable growth and knowledge.  God continues to show me new things, and continues to reveal more about himself to me with each visit.

I thought this church hunt was going to be about me (my first mistake), about where I would fit in, and about what I would like.  Boy was I wrong in so many ways.  The reason you can't simply google a church, read its reviews, and go for it, is because it isn't about you. It is about HIM.  This whole summer has shown me how much of my life is about Him.  The more I try to take the steering wheel and think that I can make my own path, the more God shows me that He is leading me, steering me, and guiding me every step of the way.  He is the author of my life and I am so thankful that He is, otherwise I would be headed straight for a disaster.  So much of this summer has been an intricate weaving of fate, that only the Author of time could have managed to pull it together.  I have ended up living with two amazing, lovely, God-fearing women. Even living with them came from one small conversation, where God had placed me at the right place at the right time. When I look to my future, I can't help but worry, stress, and wonder where I will be, and how I will get there. The question is why? Why do I worry? How can I stress? Do I not see that every step, every moment, has been so intricately planned by the Author of all creation to work perfectly in His plan for me? I am living in the very moment that He has brought me to.  His plan is so evident in my past, yet I continue to doubt His abilities to do the same for my future.  As much as I thought this summer would be about my internship, my career,  my future, and my life, I was proven wrong.  My whole summer is about Him, and the ways in which He is growing me. He is constantly hard at work in making sure every detail of my life fits perfectly together to fulfill His plan for me. The plan that I couldn't even begin to imagine.  A plan that is far greater than anything I could begin to dream of.  The Author of everything is writing my story, and all I have to do is be still and follow Him. 

I know that God has placed me in Houston, Tx. for a reason, with this community for a reason. I am ready to just sit back and watch his plans for me unfold, to observe the life that He has so perfectly prepared for me.  The beauty of knowing my life is in His hands is far greater than any other thing on this earth. My worries are weightless compared to his love and plan for me.

^" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

- Sarah Jane

Grace Bible Church