A reminder of why I love the Rochester Church

This past weekend, a girl that I have known for about a decade visited Michelle and me. Jamie was a teenager when I first met her and is now a young adult who is married with two children. She has a very painful past and is still in the midst of healing from that. In addition, her current life situation is in significant turmoil. I wanted to share with you a portion of a blog she wrote after her visit. It reminded why I love the Rochester Church so much and why - in spite of all of our failings and imperfections - I believe that God is at work in the lives of the people here.

On Sunday morning, I went to their Mosaic church service at Rochester
Church of Christ.  All I can really say is WOW! I’ve never been a part
of something that powerful. Jason gave a beautiful lesson on the three
attitudes of people, Condemning, Conforming, and Accepting. It was
wonderful!!! He used a powerpoint, and one of the pictures was of a
soldier with a little girl in his arms. It made me think of my husband,
and I started to cry. Michelle, who sat beside me the entire service
immediately put her arm around me and asked if I wanted her to pray
with me for him. She is such an strong person, and the type of woman I
can only hope to become one day. Then one of the elders, whom I hardly
knew and only met right before the service began - saw that I was a bit
down. He came and sat with me, with his arm around me, when he finished
with his communion. At the end of the service, Jason asked me to come
up front. With Michelle and this elder by my side, I did as he asked.
He proceeded to tell the church a tidbit about my past and present…
just enough for them to know that my soul was in desperate need of
repair. I will say this much, I couldn’t look at the congregation. I
know I shouldn’t be, but I am still very ashamed of a lot in my past.
He then asked if anyone would be willing to come up front and surround
me as he prayed for me. What happened next was such a blessing it
nearly brought me to my knees. So many members of the congregation came
forward immediately. “But these people don’t know me! I’m not a good
person!” is all I continued to tell myself. Their faith was unshaken as
they stood there, many of them with arms around me or hands upon me,
and prayed right along with Jason. I never imagined in my wildest
dreams I could feel such understanding and compassion from people I
didn’t know, nor did they know much about me! Many stayed after the
prayer was finished, to hug and console me. To show me love in a way I
never knew possible. To give kind words, open minds, and open hearts.
Amazing…

To the members at Rochester CoC. I want you to know how much this
weekend has meant to me. To speak with many of you was one of the
richest experiences I think I’ve encountered. God had to be smiling
when I came to Rochester, knowing that you all would take care of me.

There’s still a lot in my life I need to work through. A lot of
heartache that needs let go, and a lot of faith that needs rebuilt. It
will be a slow, and albeit painful, process. But with God and my new
family in Christ - I’ll make it through.

Thanks for being there for me this weekend all you folks up in
Rochester, and thank you to those who are reading this who were not
there.

Thank you, Jamie, for the words of encouragement! And thank you for the reminder than when we feel insufficient for the task, God will use us anyway to accomplish great things for His purpose.

shine!
Jason