Church Hunting

Grayson up in the Elim Kids space

 We started the hunt for a church today. We were recommended two different churches, Elim and Arise, by a guy Dan met online who used to live here. Today we went to the 9:30am service at Elim. We were welcomed at the doors by a nice lady who showed us where the children's classes were. Matty went to the class for Primary school aged children and Brody and Grayson went upstairs with the younger children. Matty was a little shy when we dropped him off, but then he saw legos out on the ground and warmed up quickly. Grayson had no problem when we dropped him off at his class, but Brody was a little unsure, so he went down with us for worship. After worship, Dan took him back up and he was as happy as can be to stay and play with the other kiddos. For those of you who don't know Brody too well, this was an amazing thing because he usually won't let Dan or I out of his sight in an unfamiliar area.                   

Brody and Grayson playing up in their class

The worship part of the service was amazing! Dan and I both really loved it, but we weren't too sure about the rest of the service. Like Dan said, maybe it was just an off Sunday, but there wasn't really any lesson. All they did was had a couple who just got back from a mission trip in Japan speak a little about their experience and then it was over. Don't get me wrong, it was really neat to hear about what led this couple to become missionaries and how they followed God's call in their lives, but I don't feel I took much away from it in the end.  At Shelter Cove, the church we attended the past three years back in Cali, I grew so much in my relationship with God and fell more in love with Jesus than I knew possible. Before going to church there I had some faith, but it was weak, so weak that at times I would even wonder if God truly did exist. I really knew nothing about who God is. I had never really opened my bible much before Shelter Cove. I called myself a Christian, but truly did not know what that meant and definitely wasn't living my life as a true Christian. Pastor David, the senior pastor at Shelter Cove, taught directly from the bible. He explained what he read from the bible in a way that you could picture it and made it so real, not just a story. He applied it to life today and I always left feeling on fire for God and wanting to know more. I learned so much and my faith grew a ton during those 3 years there. I want to find another church like that. I know any church out here won't be exactly like Shelter Cove, but we need something that that will push us, make us grow, and set our hearts on fire time and time again. At Elim we just didn't feel that click, like it was the one. I left feeling a little down and worried that we wouldn't find a church as amazing as Shelter Cove. I started letting other doubts creep in as well as we were driving home and just let negative thoughts take over in my mind.
Once we got home we walked into the house which felt 10 degrees colder than it did outside. I felt like I was walking into a refrigerator. It was freezing! Dan made us all lunch and I, still thinking negatively about everything, took mine outside so I could sit in the sun and warm up. It was absolutely beautiful sitting out there, the birds were chirping and dancing around, the wind died down, and the sky was so blue with a few white fluffy clouds floating around. The sun felt amazing on my skin. I got so warm that I even took off my jacket, first time all week! I just started thanking God for the sun and warmth in that moment then began reflecting on the reasons we came out here in the first place. We have been so busy with the moving part, that I am forgetting what this move was truly about. What made us get where we are? We gave ourselves up to God. We let him take the steering wheel because we weren't doing a very good job driving. He put New Zealand on our hearts, the reason I still do not know, but we are here. We listened, we did it, we are here, and He provided every step along the way. Why am I trying to take control of that steering wheel again? That question is the question that made me realize what's causing my anxiety, doubts, and negativity. When I try taking control I start looking inward and become selfish, wanting things for me, my way. I do this time and time again, even though I have learned several times that I can't do this on my own without God. I continue to forget and slip away from keeping God the focal point of my everyday life. Thinking about this, I started to get a little teary-eyed, God has been so faithful to us through this whole move. He has provided us with good health, food, a car, a home, furniture, appliances, great schools for the boys, and yet I was continuing to have doubts. Why is this such a struggle over and over again? I doubt Him. The one who created it all. The one who has complete control and power over EVERYTHING. It's just so frustrating how easily we forget who God actually is. So I started praying and just asked God to open my eyes once again, to make me want what he wants and not what I want. We are here, in New Zealand, because of Him and He has the perfect plan. I need to stop planning and getting bummed out when things don't happen exactly the way I want. I need to die to myself daily and seek what it is God wants from and for me, for us, for our family.
Elim may or may not be THE church, but there are many more churches in Wellington for us to check out. I know God will put us exactly where He wants us. For know I just need to keep my focus and heart on Him. I am feeling renewed tonight and once again excited to see what God has planned for us here. I also want to thank all of you who have been and continue to pray for us throughout this journey. We appreciate your love and prayers more than words can express.

 Matthew was playing foosball with another boy in his class when we picked him up

Matty telling Brody how to play

I did really like the children's classes. Matthew's class reminded me a lot of the way they do Awana clubs at Shelter cove. Each week they have a memory verse and once they memorize it they earn dollars (I forget what she called the money, but it's just fake money) and then they have store days when the kids can buy prizes with the money they have earned. Matthew seemed to really enjoy it.