Here is the Church, here is the Steeple...

Being a Christian in a world full of non-Christians can be just about the most frustrating thing in the world. It is exasperating! The things that matter to us differ so greatly from the things that matter to them.

Money, power, ego, status- these things can matter so greatly to people- even Christians, that they become a god to the person. I won't lie- Martin and I have both talked about times when we've lost sight of what really mattered, and focused on what didn't. It hasn't landed us in good situations in the past.

But what's even harder, is focusing on what does matter- eternal treasures- when everyone else around you is so focused on what doesn't matter eternally. At one point, I enjoyed the company of those people more than the company of Christians. Now, I don't. Now I know what it means to be separate from them. That's what the Bible's talking about. We don't have to walk around, and pretend that they don't exist, or pretend that their way of life doesn't exist; but we surround ourselves with Christians, so that our mind-set becomes more "Christ-like", and suddenly, we just don't relate to their way of thinking.

Thank God for our church, our home group, and other Christians that we can surround ourselves with. Those who will keep us grounded in what truly DOES matter for eternity.

I am so thankful that God has been good enough to bring us to this particular church- Christ the King. He has used it to heal our hearts, and strengthen and deepen our relationship with Him. Just last Sunday, nearly the whole church was brought to their knees at the end of the service- feeling the presence of God in the place.

I can't say enough how important it is to be part of a greater Christian community. I've LEARNED this. I've been told many times, but I've LEARNED it now.