A church home

Twelve years ago this September, Mike and I walked in to a church in Rockwall, TX for the first time, and it's been home to us ever since. The first Life Group we visited welcomed us with open arms, gave of their time to help us move in to our new apartment, and embraced us immediately. We've since been embraced by two other Life Groups and even a new campus closer to home. We've partaken of a multitude of resources the church offers, served in a variety of ways, and connected with the sincerest of people.

Twelve years later, I am so grateful for my church home. It has been a true anchor in my life.

I spent the day yesterday back at the main campus in Rockwall for the Global Leadership Summit, so I took a little walk around the building during one of the breaks. It was like taking a trip down memory lane, realizing just how much my church means to me.  Every room and hallway brought back a memory of how it not only helped me grow closer to Christ and get through each stage of life but also equipped me to pour my life back out into others now walking through those awkward stages.

On my little walk I passed the room where we met weekly on Sunday mornings with our first Life Group, a group of people close in age to us. I passed the counseling center where Mike and I got the help we needed to understand what went wrong in our marriage and put us on the right path to rebuild it. I passed the little chapel where I attended the Spanish services for our first two or three years here. I passed the glassed in room where we went through a Financial Fitness class that put us on a path toward financial freedom. Another room where we met with other couples for twelve weeks to relearn the basics of a biblical marriage. A room where we first met with the team we later traveled to Piedras Negras, Mexico with on our first Lake Pointe mission trip. Another room where we met with another team to travel to and serve in Michoacan, Mexico together. Still another room where we celebrated Christmas with the Adoption Ministry.

I only circled the hallways going around the auditorium on my brief walk, but the rest of the building still held the room where I attend a monthly writer's group, the room where we made the decision to start our adoption process, the room where we attended the Adoption conferences, the room where we found a mixed-age Life Group on Saturday nights with one of the most genuine, authentic teachers we ever could have asked for, and the room where I've attended various women's ministry events.

I came to my church in a very broken state. More broken than I even knew or wanted to admit. Within the church and through all of the resources offered, I found hope. Support. Restoration. Healing. Growth in so many areas of life.

I found connection and meaningful relationships. I found ministries that I'm passionate about. I found prayer warriors. I found godly, caring teachers and leaders for my sons. I found a men's ministry that my husband raves about. I found a women's ministry that thrives on helping other women find Christ in a deep way.

My church served and equipped me, and it gave me the tools to now pour myself back into the church as much or more as it poured into me.

I don't know how people survive without a church family. I don't know why people don't tap into all of the resources that a church has to offer, especially when they attend a big church. I don't know how people attend church as a spectator and never dive in. I don't think they have any idea what they are missing by not embracing the church as their home and their family.

I can't help but be grateful for Lake Pointe Church. It has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. It truly is my family and my home away from home.