Different...but similar

(The book I am studying.)

One of the first Saturdays we were in Spokane, I told the kids we would go and check out a church.  Newspring was a HUGE part of our family's home in Wichita, so we needed to find our spiritual house here and soon.  I looked on line to find one that would offer a Saturday service, I found one!  So we went to check it out.

We saw many things that made it similar and not so similar to Newspring.  The Saturday service was one, but it only one and from 6:00-7:00.  They had a kids area, but it included 6th grade.  So Allie had to be checked in to attend her service.  They had a modern worship band that didn't use sheet music (I like that), but the auditorium was one big room with pews on a sloping floor towards a slightly higher stage.  I was used to getting to church early, but when the 2 minute count down started the room was barely half full.  However, by the time worship was over the room was over 3/4 full.

I'll be honest, that first evening there I missed my Newspring family.  I even cried during the worship.  As if sending me love from heaven, Karla Stinson texted me at that exact moment to tell me how much they missed me and pray I'm finding my church home.  Yeah, that HAD to be a God thing.

This church also offered a once a week woman's book study (I signed up, of course) and a once a month moms group (I signed up as well).  This week was the first for both, and I can honestly say I was out of my norm being a plain Jane in a crowded room of women not knowing who I was.  But there was something also very peaceful about it.  I was able to be in the moment and just open my eyes to what was around me.  And I saw that God was providing me with MANY opportunities to find my place, when I was ready to jump in.

So for now, we are giving Life Center a whole hearted try as our new spiritual home.