Well, Debs (Hi Deb!) commented on my last blog, asking if I'd gone back to church yet. Well, I hadn't really stopped going to church, just gone less frequently and with less enthusiasm. However, I have been going back to church more often of late. In Tonga I went to church a couple of times, and even though I really couldn't understand any of the services, for some reason they really made me want to go back to church when I got back. So far it's been good. I have some REALLY good friends at my church, and I love seeing them. The worship music is awesome and I've really been enjoying it. It's nice to make space like that in my week just to spend with God and other Christians. I feel good that I've been going. Everything I said in my last post is really still true, except since then I've found that my other friends at church feel somewhat the same way. I don't know, it makes me feel better.
I'm exhausted. Just totally exhausted. Studying is so hard, keeping everything together is so hard. My resources are really stretched to breaking point. I had to cut down my hours so now I've even less money than before. I'm broke, tired, sick and overworked. But going to church makes me feel better now, so that's good.
Ah consumerism. It's what gets me through.
4 comments:
Whoa, "have you gone back to church"...?
Isn't that question slightly missing the point?
Sorry but this has caught me at just the wrong time in my mental processes (or the right time), all pistons are firing about this topic at the moment.
What is church? What is mission? What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Do we have to attend a group meeting in an auditorium led by well-trained people following the business model for it to be church?
Do we have to have people play music there and lead people primarily in worship of God through a concert style?
Do we have to sit in pews and all face one direction instead of at each other?
I don't really know who Debs is and I don't want to knock her but the question feels like it risks being patronising to a person who is trying to take Jesus into their lives and their workplace instead of invite their secular friends to their favourite building on Sundays.
Sharyn, I would ask you this - have you been Jesus to others (Christian or not), seen Jesus in others (Christian or not), and tried to live for Jesus with others doing the same alongside you?
If so, I'd say you've been to Church.
Well, Debs is my big sister and she was asking the question because I guess she is concerned about me.
And I was concerned about me.
I don't know what church SHOULD look like, but I know what it currently DOES look like. And I have this deep seated belief that I should be going there.
And I am.
She wasn't being patronising, but thanks for checking.... ;-)
oh well, at least she didn't say, "Long time no see, stranger..." and tail off her voice ominously
:P
I have faith that everything will be good with you in the end, I'd bet my remaining hair that 95% of any stress you are experiencing from any particular source at the moment is largely sneaking past what you'd normally brush aside because of study-pressures weakening your defences.
Hi Shaz, this is your sister deb, i wasn't the deb who put the message on your blog, just like to say. I think it is completely between you and God whether you go to church or not (although I think it is a good idea!!) Love and hugs deb xxxxxxx
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