Summer is over, boohoo! Back to school has had me reflecting a lot on the year and this makes me reflect on the time we have lived here. Can you believe it has been 2.5 years since we moved to Florida permanently?!
It doesn't seem that long ago that we were downsizing and renovating a RV to start full time travel. Let alone finishing that travel and going through the process of building and settling into a permanent house.
Time flies when you are having fun, right?! Or maybe it just flies no matter what is happening in life. I would say we have settled into a pretty little routine here in Florida. Zach is working and pursuing his PHD. The kids are still homeschooling and I am still teaching them. My mom still finds her home base here with us whenever she isn't traveling.
We are still attending the church we found when we moved here. The one I swore I would never set foot in because it is so obnoxious looking from the outside LOL but God knew better and so did my husband. I am grateful I listened to them both. It's a great place to gather and meet with God's people. I love the ministries and opportunities. I can say I am able to grow and help grow there so what more can you ask?
I wish I could say after 2.5 years that the church shennigans I wrote about here, are gone or better but they aren't. Mean people will always exist and church cliques will always exist. We are flawed as humans and because of this, these things will always be in churches.
The good news is that God prevails inspite of us. We, as humans, can even screw up something as beautiful as church and he will use it for His glory. And in the last 2.5 years God has used this situation to grow me and make me more intentional in my walk with Him.
This week I have been studying John 13-17. Here's the setting in a nutshell: Jesus knows His death is coming, He is having His last meal with His favorite people and so He uses that time to fill their cups and try to prepare them for the overwhelming sorrow that is to come in just a few hours. He says all the things He needs to say because He knows the time when He can not is coming. And then He ends their time together with a prayer.
One of the illustrations He gives to His friends is that of a gardner trimming and nurturing the vineyard. He talks about cutting the branches back and also lifting up the branches and then completely removing branches. All of these acts serve different purposes and yet all are for the health of the vine.
Cutting back the branches removes the sections that are not healthy, that are not producing fruit, that may be dying or are hurting the plant. Having to completely remove the branches of the vines means they are already dead there is no hope for those branches. They are doing no good for the vine and can only be removed. The lifting of branches takes place when the vines have gotten into an area of trouble. They need to be moved and lifted up so they can access the light of the sun and thrive again.
So what does any of that have to do with surviving 2.5 years of cliques and persecution? How does gardening help with cliques and outcasts? I am so glad you asked, ha!
Bad news: We aren't military anymore so I don't get to move anytime soon, I am in this for the long haul.
Good news? God can take ANYTHING and use it for His good. I have been through incredible things and come out the other side. My testimony is not for the faint of heart. Jesus has redeemed me and lifted me up. He has completely changed my life. I have shared much of it throughout this blog so today I won't. But as I was reflecting on our time in Florida and my time at our church God revealed some beautiful things to me that only He could.
In Part 2 I will talk about all the things God has shown me through these trials and tribulations brought on by my church family.
As always I am praying for you all! Be blessed and Be well. Xoxox
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