What I've been learning is that it isn't easy finding a church. Starting over is difficult and establishing yourself isn't easy either. I come from a wonderful church full of people that I've grown up with for the past 10 years of my life. The college ministry is an amazing balance of community and truth. I've always felt accepted. I've always felt involved. I've always known that my pastor is hungry for truth and he'll stop at nothing to find it. It's my church and it's my home. However I have recently run into the predicament of moving 835 miles away from home.
I've always believed that Jesus is the same everywhere, so what's the big deal trying to find a church? I was faced with a harsh reality that it's harder to find a home church than it sounds. Finding a place where you feel comfortable worshiping, where you buy into the pastor's vision, and with a solid group of people you can do life with is no easy task. I've run across a million places that have one... maybe two of these things but even if I put myself in the thick of it and invest my time I always end up feeling like something is missing.
If anything has come of this it's the deep appreciation and love I hold for my church back in Colorado. I'll be a grover for life! (whoop whoop!) The Grove is a community of people who have vision, zeal, and absolute love for the gospel. I cannot imagine a better place to plug myself into week to week. Jesus is just so potent in the place that it can be overwhelming yet so addicting. It's like a home base. A place were we recharge and learn so we can pour out to others and be light to the darkness. A place were we enhance our flavor to be salt to the earth. A place where we are constantly challenged to grow and mature. These people are the people that I would trust my life with and people I still call in crisis. They are the people that aren't afraid to give it to me straight and are completely transparent with me themselves. I miss them. I miss that. I never realized what are rare and beautiful thing it is until I left, and I am beyond grateful that this church is where I come from. It's not easy creating this kind of environment, and there is definitely no formula to it either. How The Grove managed to do it? I couldn't tell you, but Jesus is written all over it.
So if you live in Colorado it's not a bad place to find yourself. If you don't the podcast is pretty amazing too.
Overall I am 100% something will work for me out here in Arizona. God is faithful, God is good, and He loves His daughter. So I'll be just fine. Right now I just miss home.
