Last piece of the puzzle

Church shopping is NOT the kind of shopping I enjoy.
Normally, shopping is relaxing, productive and dare I say?- Fun.
Church shopping is productive, but NOT relaxing or fun.  See the problem?

We just left a church in Oakville that raised our standards considerably in every department.  From proclaiming the gospel, to believing in the power of prayer, to preaching the truth without apology- they had it covered.  In 7 years, we were blessed to watch God grow this congregation from two services to four, packing out the sanctuary each week, making overflow rooms necessary.  People are hungry for the TRUTH.

Our children grew up in this church, it's all they know and remember.  For them, this is the standard by which they measure every church we visit.  It's good to have a standard.  Nelson and I knew in leaving Oakville, that we had to expect God to do great things.  It was inconceivable that a God so loving and so faithful would bring us all this way to let us down.

Every thing, and I mean EVERY thing we have prayed for God to provide, he has.  The kids have a wonderful school, they have met kids on the block that are their friends, we love our neighborhood, we have settled into our home (as much as one can in a few weeks), and are seeing friendships blossom.  The one missing piece of the puzzle is finding a church that we can call home.

Some might think that finding "the" house is the pivotal piece.  A house is important in a move, but you can alter it to suit your needs.  It doesn't have to be "perfect".  Our home is a prime example of that- slap on some paint, throw away the carpet, and oila!- you have  a new home.  A church, however, can't be changed to suit the whim of it's congregants.  What we encounter in their service, has to be enough for us.  That's a difficult concept to take in when we're coming from a place of extreme satisfaction.

Why is He making us wait on this one piece?  Is there a church where all the components that are of importance to us, can be found?  Would he put that desire within us to find such a place, only to have us be disappointed?  I have to believe that he keeps his promises.  He does not want us to be without His word, His truth, or His promises in this desert.

Neither of us wants to settle for a church that's "good enough", and we shouldn't have to.  Our God doesn't give us blessings that are merely "good enough" he gives us His BEST.  If I only expect him to give mediocrity, what do you think he's going to give me?  Even in His word he says "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph 3:20).  Did you read that?  God will exceed our expectations, and be abundant in them too!  He knows our tendency is to settle.  We are content with mediocrity too often.  We assume it's the best we're going to get, and then live with it.  But what if I decide that I'm not satisfied with it and expect God to go above and beyond where my requests and head won't let me?

This is what I'm going to do.  For the next 30 days, I'm going to sit and pray, waiting, expecting God to do something powerful when it comes to guiding us to "the" church.  We've got some other churches to visit, and maybe there's one we haven't yet heard of that we need to see.  Either way, he's got us covered.  I can't wait to see how He does it.