Church was amazing that first morning, but the blessings didn't stop there. When I got over to the Alexanders' house (the pastor's family) I met several more people that would begin to have a large role in my life, including James and Kristen, Jim, and Pastor Tom's wife, Theresa, who made an inordinate amount of food for everyone (which she does every week, a wonderful service for our group).
We ate and had a really good Bible study, applying verses to modern situations that really brought scripture to life and reminded me of how relevant it really is. Everyone in the group made an effort to reach out to me, to ask me questions about my life, where I came from, what my background was. I felt very honored that they were so interested in making me feel at home, that they cared so much when they didn't even know me. I could immediately tell that these were the kind of people I wanted in my life.
After the study ended at around 2:30, people started to pick up their Bibles and filter out of the house. I thanked the pastor, but then, instead of simply leaving, I lingered for a bit. Three of the group - Emily, Paul (the youth pastor) and Val - were sitting around the table, talking about plans for the day, and they invited me bowling. I said yes (I ended up saying "yes" to a lot of things in the coming weeks, something that really helped me get the most of all of these new spiritual resources) and we drove out to the bowling alley. Leslea couldn't come, something that disappointed me, but I was happy to have the chance to connect further with this new group.
While we were there, we continued to talk about our lives, really getting to know each other already. I found out that Paul was going to Africa in about a week as a missionary (I don't think I had ever met a missionary before, although I found out later that Pastor Tom and his family were missionaries in Argentina). I asked Emily about her guitar playing and musical background, and listened to Val talk about the gymnastics training of her childhood. I had a great time. I'd never felt so comfortable as a new person in a group of established friends.
As we were leaving, they mentioned that they were heading to Emily's house later that evening to hang out, eat ice cream, and chat, and invited me to that as well, although I could tell they expected that to be too much for me for one day. I readily agreed, feeling more eager than I could explain. We hung out for hours that night, wandered around a grocery store, talked about love languages, spoke prophetically into each others' lives (well, they spoke, I received), and reached a deeper level of interaction than I get with most people I've known for years. It was something special.
That night, for the first time in ages, I felt the hand of God on my life. I sat there in Em's living room, with four strangers who somehow weren't really strangers anymore, people who already cared about my life, who could tell that God had a plan for me. I didn't react that outwardly that night, because I was still learning to open up (and really, I still am), but I was touched by the attention I received. And not just the attention of these awesome people who chose to include me in their night, but the attention of God, who brought me to the right place at the right time and, with a simple nudge, sent me down a path that would restart and then accelerate my spiritual growth, give me access to all kinds of people I needed in my life, and simply bless everyone involved. I feel enriched, inspired, and renewed, and most of all I'm reminded on a daily basis that God cares about ME, He loves me personally, and is still pursuing my heart with a force that makes me tremble. I love it. And I love Him. Amen.
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