It's something we've wanted to get involved in since we moved to Antioch almost three years ago. Because you take your kids and because they are a prt of the group- this proved to be impossible until this year. The whole multiples thing and there only being two of us wouldn't have allowed us to have a conversation with anyone much less arrive at 5:30 since the kids were napping until 5 up until about 3 months ago.
The last month and a half has proved several things to me.
1. We are thirsty. Thirsty Christians who seek God more often than Sunday morning.
2. That we have been doing an awesome job at showing our children who Jesus is- and there is so much more work to be done.
3. I didn't know my own husbands testimony and for that, I am ashamed.
4. There are other people out there that clean up dog crap and 7 am and curse as they do it.
5. I love these families and I am so thankful they asked us to be in their group.
So on Wednesday it's our turn to tell our testimonies. This is the beginning stages of the group and each week a couple shares their journey. Because Whit is a loose cannon- ha, I asked him to tell me his story. He laughed and asked if I didn't trust him. I said no. We laughed and we both cried as he told me his journey. I cried mostly because I had never heard it but partly because I saw this man that was intentional in the next steps of his story. I could hear a "but wait- there's more", in his voice. He wants more and has wanted more since he met me. He told me ways that my family led him to God more and more and how he admired others and their love for Jesus. I loved this. I can't wait to hear him share.
We talked about the power of prayer and it made me think of yesterday's sermon. Jimmy talked about loving God in the middle- meaning not at the end when you made it but in the struggle. Of course I thought about our struggle and how I prayed for it to go my way rather that his, a lot of the time. And while I never got mad that it didn't go my way- I struggled with feeling grateful, when it didn't. I also struggled to believe it would happen, when time after time, it didn't. He wanted me to wait on him and I sat there tapping my foot. I feel like I'm loving Him in the end when I should have been loving Him in the middle.
I read this article tonight about talking to your kids about God always being with them. In their room, in the car, at school, at dance, even at their friends house. Not making him this figure up in the sky, but a companion that never leaves their side. I need to do a better job of envisioning the same God in my front seat. Always my companion. I lose track of this and need a reminder. 
As the leaves fall and the nights and mornings shift to a cooler start and end I feel so refreshed. I feel like we are opening a really good book with our new life group and a fresh start to a new season of great community. I feel so blessed to share my kids with people who are equally intentional in their parenting. And while none of us claim to be perfect examples- we are working hard at being intentional in our parenting, our marriages and our own walks with Christ.
I'm going to do a better job of loving in the middle. That goes for people too. I think I love them in the beginning and in the end when things work out but not so much in the middle when things get rocky. Loving in the middle...I think we all could do a little of that- a lot better.
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