A Different Place

This week our kids attended camp.
This was a first for our family.
I knew our oldest would flourish as large groups of people, less rules than usual, and platforms to express himself are right up his alley.
Our middle son didn't quite have the same experience-which totally suits his persona.
He had a harder time adjusting as we very well expected.
But on the very last day he showed us just what he was capable of!

This post probably isn't going where you think.
Yes my kids loved camp.
Yes they made lots of new friends, learned to play new games, felt self sufficient as they were forced to go out of their comfort zones, but most importantly they renewed and developed their relationship with Jesus.

Our family has really been in a rut the past few months.
Our church home has been in transition for about a year now.
Our young, amazing, fearless, welcoming, Pastor whom we loved, cherished, and who MARRIED us (hello!! that's a big one!) felt the calling to move to another church home in OHIO :(
And while our family was downright devastated by this news we decided we were going to stick it out.
We were going to stand strong, and continue to grow with our already centered church family.
The same church family where 2/3 children were baptised, who came together and got our family through my stroke, and where my husband took communion for the very first time-ever!
But a few weeks after our amazing pastor left....we could feel a piece of our hearts had left too.
It just wasn't the same. The sermons weren't the same, the service wasn't the same, and most of all the connection wasn't the same.
That fire that once was burned inside of me to completey devote our lifes work to our church and His word had gone out.
The passion and empowerment I once felt waking up and getting our family ready, heading out the door, and pulling into that parking lot no longer existed.
Something had changed. Shifted.
For the past couple of months I haven't been able to put my finger on what exactly it is, but there has been a huge void.
A void in my heart, in my head, in our family.
This week all that changed.

Each night that I came home from work and walked in the door I was flooded by overly excited, eager children who couldn't wait to tell me all about their day at camp.
They proudly told me all about their counselors, the games they played, the lessons they learned, and the friends they made.
But mostly what made my momma heart skip a beat happened probably on day #2 of camp.
I could hear them upstairs proudly singing a song at the top of their lungs....together....in unison.
At first I listened very quietly, not wanting them to know I was listening for fear of them stopping :)
This is what I heard:

"Whatever is true, whatever is right,
whatever it pure, whatever is light
lead me in your wayeverlasting
 don't ever stop, don't ever stop"

"I saw the light
I saw the light
No more darkness
No more night"

When I tell you my momma heart was bursting at the seams....boy oh boy was it!!!
It straight up exploded!
My children. Our family. We NEEDED this.
We needed this connection. A refresher of our faith.
To see their little faces light up, hands in the air praising our Lord like that?! OH MY!!
There simply are no words for just how I felt. 
There is only tears.
Big ole hot tears welled up in my momma eyes.
Partly because it has been so long since I have been moved by a church service.
Partly because I finally had that calling, that pulling, that notion saying, "you're right where you are supposed to be"
and partly because it was one of those moments where every part of my heart and soul, all of my momma being, that I spend day in and day out pouring into these little ones of mine, is finally coming to fruition.
Right before my eyes.

I don't want their faith to be fleeting.
I don't want their faith to be this inconsistent-only use it when you need it-thing.
I don't want their faith to be uncomfortable and awkward.

I want them to be completly comfortable in their faith.
I want their faith to be second nature...an extension of who they are.
I want their faith to be the first thing they run to when they have a problem, and the first thing they go to, to give praise and thanks.

I want them to realize that all of our blessings come from above.
They come from Him.
And this week.....I saw that.