GlocalNet

Did you notice it, too?  The very day after Christmas and the aisles were already filled with Valentine’s and chocolate hearts!  It’s amazing how the marketing world wants to move us so quickly from one holiday to the next -from one expression of celebration to another.  And you know, I think we have learned the pattern better than we realize.  Life seems to be all about getting to the next level and celebrating the next milestone.  Whether we are burning holes in the carpet as we take our babies hands, just trying to get them to take those first steps, or we are sitting up at night dreaming about the future of our families and our church with our hubby over a warm decaf. . .we always tend to look towards something yet to be attained.  At least I do.

My oldest daughter, Emma, went to bed the other night asking if the next day we could make Valentine’s for her friends.  The question caught me by surprise.  Quickly I found myself imaging a calendar in my mind and thinking my reply should be that we have a long time until Valentine’s Day.  But we don’t!  O my goodness, it’s less than a month away!  Emma is quit the planner and celebrator.  And I suppose it’s a good thing.  She always keeps me on my toes.

But just like planning for the next celebration of Valentine’s Day, we as church planting wives also live in a world of looking to the next milestone that is party worthy.  We dream about what church will look like when. . . .what life will be like when. . .how much better things will be when. . .how we can focus more on our marriage when. . .  And if I’m not careful,  I find myself thinking about the “when” so much that I fail to even notice the “today.”  Have you ever been there?

There are a lot of things that we don’t have control of when it comes to church planting - they’re in God’s hands where we much prefer them to be.  But one thing we CAN do today is be the keeper of our Marriage and Family.  One thing in the middle of all the uncertainties that we CAN celebrate is the very most important thing that God has physically gifted to us - our spouses and our kids.

I have always been a huge believer in the idea that as long as our marriage and family is strong and healthy, so will be our church.  It’s just a conviction that God gave me from the very start of this journey.  It’s a guide that has helped me with every personal decision I have ever had to make when it comes to starting a church and how I am involved.  I’m not sure that it’s always completely true, but I really do think that the opposite is fact.  I’m convinced that if my marriage and family is a mess, so will be our church.  Don’t you think? 

So I think it’s appropriate as we are obviously on the doorstep of yet another celebration - Valentine’s Day - we should take some time to talk about those who have our hearts.  It’s a ministry that God calls us to nurture and guard and grow at all costs.  As a church planting wife I really do believe that my number one responsibility is to make sure that our family and marriage stays healthy. So in these next few weeks leading up to that mushy, ooey, gooey day of hearts and chocolate’s, we are going to be talking a bit about marriage and family and all kinds of HEART stuff.  Don’t miss it!
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posted by Amy Colón
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