Jewells of Thought

The last couple of Sundays have felt really good. Being in a pew at the evening service has helped my perspective this past week. Maybe a small part of that is getting to watch goodhearted humor like seeing kids on a Sunday night feel that being at church is natural. As natural as it was to me as a young girl.

Although I do remember playing Tic Tac Toe with an older girl in the back pew on Sunday evenings. I still cherish those moments at Faith Community Church playing little games with Stacie while Pastor John Booker was preaching. Those days seem so long ago… but they are still in my memory.

Today once again I got to watch my young cousin at the pulpit again. Is it weird to have such pride in a cousin? Although I think we may be technically second cousins. He mentioned something that hit me again for a third time. I believe Pastor Doug and Pastor Dave helped to articulate why the word “Abba” is special. It was specifically when Pastor Dave spoke on it I began to pray Abba Father, to begin petitioning the Lord of the requests on my heart. I haven’t done so, as much, for a while though. I think I just got out of the habit.

Thanks to this morning I think it will be on the tip of my tongue next time. I’m thankfully God gives us these little nudges when we need them. Saying the word Abba helps to connect us to our father and even reminds us that we need to come to Him with a childlike faith. Tonight I was reminded of my childhood and how important my time at church still is now as an adult. Two services are just as critical as they were in my youth; the peace of being in a pew listening to God’s word is recalibrating and strengthening.