A Good Catch

By Chelsea Wade, South Main Member & Buckner Ministries Coordinator

Quite frankly I didn’t need any convincing to attend Faith Singles Night at the Astros. All you can eat extreme hot dogs were more than enough incentive to prompt ticket purchase. Bottomless peanuts, popcorn, and access to the Champions Pavilion were also worthy additions.

I was also motivated by the possibility. This event was another opportunity to laugh, chat, and cheer on the home team. I don’t consider my relationship status as a determining factor of my identity but I do acknowledge it. I even persuaded a good friend to go with me. Of course I provided a disclaimer during the invitation: “Ok, I don’t know who will be there…BUT I have faith that they will all be single!” You have to appreciate events where the guest list is that straightforward!

When we arrived at the social we stopped and stood before two black doors. My friend likened her emotions to jitters on the first day of school. I opened the door on the right and we walked in…Michael Bourn approached me and said that he’d been waiting for me…pigs began to fly…

So FYI, that last part didn’t happen. I got to mingle with attendees from other churches! I added neon relish to my hot dog! I sat with fellow Young Adult Community members! I had a great experience that I got to share with friends.

I’m not counting down the days hoping that my life as a “single” will end. I’m thankful for the journey and I’m grateful for South Main as a home base.

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Short Term Memory

By Kaci Coble, South Main Member

Kaci Coble is a new member at South Main. She is a member of the Young Adult Community and contributor to The Main Blog.

Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live, in the love of Yahweh your God, obeying his voice, holding fast to him, for in this your life consists.  Deut. 30:19-20

My, how quickly we forget. We often feel pain when we come to realize how many times we are faced with the same trials and tribulations before we finally see the purpose and offer it all up as we come closer to God along our journey. What we may interpret as punishment or torment can often be our repeatedly missing the lesson. Let us also be wary of shielding those we love from our troubles, because teaching the lessons of what we’ve learned is what brings us closer to our greatest teacher, Jesus Christ. Often, the purpose of our experience could be sharing that learning with another and helping take them one step closer in their walk with God through our own experiences.

Experiences are our purpose. They are our life blood. They are our exhilarating motivators and our cruelest discouragers. Finding the balance between accepting the lesson and blocking out the possibly painful experience can be challenging, but our gift and promise of forgiveness and eternal life keeps us close to our greatest encounter – the love of God.

We need to be mindful of sharing our experiences, be open to transparency, and be gracious with our wisdom.  We need to remember what we have seen, what we have felt, and to grow from those. We need to share those lessons with ones we love and to share it all with God. We need to learn from God who sent his child to teach us and to empower us to teach our children as well.

Dear Lord Jesus, dear God, As we come before thy throne of grace and mercy, help us to care for and value our lives as well as the gift of experience. Be it good news or bad news, who are we to say? Let us not dwell on the pain, but grow from the healing. Help us to humble ourselves and stay true to our deepest purpose and to your love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.