Are you comfortable? This sermon from Acts 8:1-8 that Pastor Adam gave in January reminded me of how uncomfortable it is to live in the city. It's HARD. Our neighborhood is particularly difficult. The other day when I walked through my neighborhood to "my office" (Grand Central Bakery - big tables and free coffee refills!), I counted only 10 women out of dozens of men. The women I meet here don't live here. Women are leaving the neighborhood because they feel unsafe. Our friends in our neighborhood are almost all men. After pulling up roots and leaving friends to move here, it's easy to feel lonely. WHY are we here?
God is growing me through this pain. He's growing my love for the CITY. Yes, I love Seattle. Yes, it's raining outside as I speak. I don't care! Almost every day I stand by my window peering out at the city lights, marveling at God's creation. And this is planting in me a love for all cities! God loves cities. One day, we Christians will all dwell in a Heavenly city together. He's growing my love for the CHURCH. Not. Easy. People are hard, they're different. But I love my community! Their stories are unique and God has brought us together in this season from all over the country to do something, I know it. I desire to hear more friends' stories that end and begin again in Christ! He's growing my love for the CHRIST. I'll tell you something, I lack faith. It may seem like I have a lot of faith just by moving here, but it takes even more faith to trust God has my best in mind while persevering here. It should be easy, but it's not. The Christ - Jesus of Nazareth who we are about to celebrate as the Risen Savior on Easter - if He is the only thing I have to show for this move, then God be praised. He is infinitely greater than any treasure I have attempted to store for myself.
So again I ask, Are you comfortable? Don't be. The Christian life is one of tension. Just read the Bible, the people written about in there (including Jesus) were not comfortable. They were constantly walking the tight rope between success and failure, temptation and holiness, comfort and suffering. You may not have to move to the city, but please, choose Christ over comfort. That life will be infinitely more joyful and glorious, even eternal.
-Christy
God is growing me through this pain. He's growing my love for the CITY. Yes, I love Seattle. Yes, it's raining outside as I speak. I don't care! Almost every day I stand by my window peering out at the city lights, marveling at God's creation. And this is planting in me a love for all cities! God loves cities. One day, we Christians will all dwell in a Heavenly city together. He's growing my love for the CHURCH. Not. Easy. People are hard, they're different. But I love my community! Their stories are unique and God has brought us together in this season from all over the country to do something, I know it. I desire to hear more friends' stories that end and begin again in Christ! He's growing my love for the CHRIST. I'll tell you something, I lack faith. It may seem like I have a lot of faith just by moving here, but it takes even more faith to trust God has my best in mind while persevering here. It should be easy, but it's not. The Christ - Jesus of Nazareth who we are about to celebrate as the Risen Savior on Easter - if He is the only thing I have to show for this move, then God be praised. He is infinitely greater than any treasure I have attempted to store for myself.
So again I ask, Are you comfortable? Don't be. The Christian life is one of tension. Just read the Bible, the people written about in there (including Jesus) were not comfortable. They were constantly walking the tight rope between success and failure, temptation and holiness, comfort and suffering. You may not have to move to the city, but please, choose Christ over comfort. That life will be infinitely more joyful and glorious, even eternal.
-Christy
This song says it well. It's from the new album Growing Pains by Json that I HIGHLY recommend:
Wow deep post. Thank you for your honesty about what you are facing living there. Your lives show a great testimony to Christ and your dedication to living out his plan for you. I was blessed to see the community you are serving, in just four days being there with you about 10 people passed by that you knew.
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