A new church experience.

So Britain has been experiencing a heatwave these past few weeks (the rest of the world just call it summer!). I've got to that stage where I'm so hot that I don't know what to do with myself...so I decided to blog!

This morning, myself and the wonderful Amy decided to mix it up a little bit and go to the local gospel church just round the corner from where we now live. Neither of us really knew what to expect and as we walked in, I couldn't help but notice how amazingly we were greeted and welcomed (cue a shout out to the stewards!). We watched countless people (including a VERY cute little boy) spend their time of worship dancing, flag waving and genuinely celebrating Jesus. What a beautiful thing to witness. I loved their joy (though it's good to remember that joy comes in many forms...) and I loved their passion for Jesus.

However, I want to emphasise the word 'new'. Church this morning was so different from anything I've ever experienced before and, if I'm honest, I wasn't 100% comfortable. For one, I've definitely now had my annual dose of the phrase, 'Can I get an Amen?'. Being frivolous aside, there were some things I didn't get and some things that I wasn't sure about. But that's okay. As I came out, I felt pretty overwhelmed and found myself asking the question, 'What just happened?'. The point is, it doesn't matter that I don't get it because I knew wholeheartedly that, despite some differences, these people love Jesus and trust Him for their salvation like I do and want to see His kingdom advanced like I do. Surely that's what's important? Of course, we all have personal preferences but beyond that, we are united because God Himself says we are, as His body and as His representatives on this earth. I'm so glad that God's church goes further than my own understanding and sometimes surpasses my own comfort. Today, I was reminded that God's family is diverse and that it is beautiful when people of all nations, ages and traditions come together to proclaim Jesus.

Thankful for the congregation of believers I encountered this morning and thankful for you!

Much love,

Rhi x

In other news...last week I got into the Wimbledon spirit (wasn't Andy Murray insanely good?!)...

(to clarify, Fedz is definitely not a failure!)