Church

I was doing the old Sunday school song in the car this week..."Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the door and where are the people?" I was laughing as I told Sam there is so much to learn from that sweet little song. I can remember my Sunday school teacher stopping us the first time we sang it through saying to us...this isn't church when there are no people. Church is people, not a building but people that at times inhabit a building. Then we would sing the song through again...."Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the door....here are the people."

Sam and I went to a church we had heard about a few weeks ago. Because of a few different things that have gone on we were a little nervous and went anxious into this church setting. I almost told Sam right before we left, "let's just skip it this week and go next week." But my friend Sea Jay called right as I was getting ready contemplating telling Sam I didn't want to go. Funnily enough she distracted me enough to go :)

We had a great time, and felt welcomed and comfortable. For me it was one of those "why did I doubt you moment's God?" I knew that He has a spot for us, I knew that we have hearts for God and know that he will continue to use us a married couple. One of the guys that leads this church talked with us after and said so many things that spoke encouragement, hope and peace into who we were, what we were designed to do and just a feeling of comfort. God spoke through him and I almost burst into tears as he said a few things that he could have never known we needed to hear this week. I feel like for the first time ever in our married life we walked into a place and were seen for just us, Sam and Dana Ackland. Pure hearts, imperfect, trying to figure life out.

We head into a meeting tomorrow night to lay to rest some of the conflict/misunderstandings that we found ourselves in here in NZ before we even got here. I am confident that God will continue to show Himself, reveal His goodness, and keep His promises. My prayer is that we will leave reconciled relationally, respecting each other and releasing any debt or hurt that was on both sides. I am believing for closure and a good meeting. Pray with us as we walk into this and pray for my heart and perspective and that we would both trust....it is at 5:30pm Monday night (your time).

I will be sure to tell you the good things God does through this meeting. Thanks for walking with me and us on this journey to NZ and next to us while we walk some tough moments. I feel like I have faithfully taken 2 steps forward and 1 back through this journey....and some days I feel like I take 2 steps forward and 3 back :) But we are moving and beginning to see things that we never imagined. Thank you for being the small group of people that pray with us, journey with us, and cheer us on. I love being able to share and communicate, and love knowing that we are going into things like this week with others standing with us.

Thank you.