The kids (and I) finished out the school year - rolling into home plate with an exhausted plop, and now we are a week into summer. Before I dive into that I have to tell you about this God thing that happened.
Towards the end of last year I went on a girls trip with my mom and two sisters. We explored South Carolina together and had a blast. While we were there we visited a church called Seacoast. I was opposed to it from the beginning. I wanted to go to a small, authentic church. My sister won and we ended up at the biggest church ever and the home of a satellite broadcast - Disneyland attendants in the parking lot, stadium seating, play structure with slide in the kid zone, even a bookstore!
God humbles the arrogant though. It was wonderful! The message was impactful and the worship was Spirit filled. During the service I felt that God was telling me someone was going to come to our church from this church. I thought it may be the pastor but, come on, there were thousands of people in there and we are a tiny church of 250 all the way across the continental US. I whispered it to my mom just in case. "Mom, I think someone is meant to come to our church from here. I think it's the pastor. If I see him while we are here, I am going to tell him about our church." That was that. I never saw him so I just assumed it was my active imagination.
We spent an hour in the amazing bookstore buying things we don't get to see in California. When we went to check out, the lady working asked me where we were from, given our accents. When I mentioned California, she asked where, and surprisingly she knew Culver City!
Five months later (about a month ago) Pastor Nathan came up to me after service and said someone was waiting to speak to me.
"Hi, I'm Bethany. I don't think you'll remember me but I met you at Seacoast church in South Carolina when you were visiting for a girls trip. I was working in the bookstore when you checked out."
"YES! HELLO!"
She went on to share that at the time of our fortuitous meeting, her husband was interviewing for a job in Culver City. That's why she was familiar with it. He had accepted and they had moved here. She remembered that I said Venice Church in Culver City.
"Did you know there are two Venice Church's in Culver City?"
She had gone to the other Venice Church the week before in search of me. That is also a small church. Turns out they wrote the one song that she has been leaning on during this transition.
We met up for lunch and my mom joined. We both now attend my mom's summer bible study.
God works in just the most amazing ways doesn't He??
The more I pursue God, the long obedience in the the same direction, the more I have weird happenings like this! Sometimes walking towards God feels lonely but God worked for both of us didn't He? Encouraging Bethany in her move and encouraging me to keep hot in the pursuit of God.
Thank you Jesus.
How Deep - Eliza King verse 3 + chorus
I know Jesus first paved the narrow road
And if I'm lonely in pursuit of higher things
Far more precious is the harvest it may bring
For I want a crown that I may lay before my King
How Deep, and how wide is Christ's love for me
My joy in life, my treasure in death
That Christ is mine, and I am His
