a hope. a promise. a story.

Tonight, I went with Kelly, Jana and Marie to Radius in Greenville (Missed you, Nichole!). Odd, I know, for members of one church to go off visiting another church. But they are doing a series on Femininity/ Masculinity: the Image of God. It is powerful stuff and this seemed to be a great opportunity for a Paloma girls night out.

The experience gave me hope for my upcoming move to Charleston. I have been at dcf over 4 years now. Because of a transitory childhood, it would be safe to say this is one of the longest stints of same-church-attendance since I turned 13. It is nice to be known. It is nice to be trusted. It is nice to be in a position to serve my church. This is bound to change with our move south. We will church-hunt. We will pray. We will visit. And we will attend where the Lord calls us. And wherever that is, He will have a plan for us. But experience tells me that I will not be known, trusted, nor in a position to serve right away. Certainly this will be a time to learn again the rotation of lead-follow and a time to listen to the Lord's movements in our hearts in a new environment and in a new community.

And so, my hope comes in two-fold. I entered a church in which I knew no one and I found the presence of God there and I worshiped with strangers. And I was encouraged for the need of community during and after this move. Genesis 2 was revealed to me in a new light tonight. When God created the world and every little microscopic thing in it, He said it was good. Until He saw Adam alone. My entire life, I interpreted this as "it is not good to be alone, as in single. we should all be married." Now that I pause and think about this in light of what else I know of Scripture, its a preposterous thought! It was not good for man to be alone- by himself-with no one else- independent. The first creation "not good" moment is the moment when God sees that being alone is bad. And so God, the loving, ever-providing Father, reaches down and creates another being. For the two to multiply and for them to have community.

The Story being told on this earth about our God and how He is redeeming His world is a story of US. It is not a story of me, alone. Nor is it a story of me and Brandon. It is a story of us. And in this telling, the Loys will go to the next stage for new encounters with Charleston-based people. But our part in the story here is still a part of the Story. And our hearts, for having been and lived and loved here, will remain here wrapped in the Clemson-based story even as they move on to another geography.

The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart tonight, "Seek community with my followers. You will find it." The Lord will surely give me rest in this as Brandon and I search for our community, our calling, our place and our home in the County of Charleston.

Thank you for the promise, Lord.