Perseverence

The previous week was a tough week with all the struggles at work. I was starting to wonder, "What are our purposes here?", "What are God's purposes for us and are doing what God wants us to do?" It was a week where I was ready for it all end and I was thinking "Your kingdom come..." :)

The lyrics of the song, Rescue, kept coming to mind:
This world has nothing for me
I will follow You
This world has nothing for me
I will follow You

That Friday, we went to a small group at Vineyard for the first time. The verses they were discussing really met me where I was:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6

Our move to Houston was the first time I felt called to do something. It was a step of faith to do what we thought God was calling us to do. We knew that it would not be easy to do what we were doing. It was really the first time I chose the "not so easy path" to follow a calling.

These verses really encouraged me ... considering it joy, persevering, asking God for wisdom through it all.

Community

In moving to Houston, one thing we really longed for is community. In Austin, we had a church family, relationships built over the years from international ministry, and many friends we had developed relationships with.

We went to many churches in the Sugar Land area looking for a church family. One thing we realized is that we were not able to see what the true character of the church is without going to a small group (i.e. community group).

We've been to the small group at two different churches in the Sugar Land area so far. It really has been the small group that has attracted us to the Vineyard church in Sugar Land. Several things that stood out abt the Vineyard small group are: 1) authenticity and venerability - people shared what was going on with their life and their struggles without the facade of "playing Christian", 2) Worship - people had a sincere heart and desire for worship, 3) sense of community, sharing, and encouraging each other, 4) Spiritual maturity of the leaders and members