Courtyards

When I was little, I remember I had this dream about a courtyard in a school that I had previously attended.

It was a little opening in the middle of the small school where students could sit and eat, get a soda, or just hang out and study.

In the dream though, it was just me standing there and I walked out into it blinded by the light that shone around and down on me.

In the center was a beautiful white unicorn with pastel flowers in it's hair.

I walked up to it and it let me touch it.

It seems there may have been more to this dream, a voice that spoke maybe, but this was all I can remember to this day.

This dream, was one of the only ones I ever remember having where I felt God's presence so deeply, it felt like heaven, it was beautiful and holy.

It may have even been one of the first times I ever felt Him that intensely.

I awoke feeling great and I remember rushing to tell my parents about it the next morning.

Today, though, I sat on the floor of the evening service at the church I grew up at and marveled at how good the past few weeks have been. It's been wonderful getting to be home and worship so intimately with others that I have the privilege to call my family.

It'll be the last day I visit for some time, as I have somewhere else I am called to be consistently for the time being.

I'm excited, eager, and grateful for the adventures that lay behind me and even more so for the ones that are ahead of me.

God is definitely working on, in, and around me in many ways.

I am becoming stronger, what a privilege to be worked on by Him.

The King of all Kings.

While sitting on the floor, I looked at the light shining down on the brown tile that has provided me a comfort to see for as long as I can remember. The church itself is downtown, on the main street, it's two buildings side by side with a brick middle-earth style door that connects them both.

In the recent weeks, I've been on the side of the church that was bought first around 30 years ago (before I was born).

The main area of this building is right next to the open entrance and foyer area and it's referred to as the "skylight room". It's called this because between the sound board (back of the room) and the stage (front of the room) is a large, old, and elegant vaulted glass opening where you can see the sky. Needless to say, I have spent many hours laying on this floor for a plethora of different reasons, mostly to worship.

Today though, I sat cross-legged hidden behind a row of chairs and in the pathway to the bathroom.

I welled with tears during worship at my gratitude to God for giving me this home, this family. This church home has been a courtyard in my life.

A place that not many people get to have and no one is guaranteed.

It's a place of light and hope, trust and faith, beauty and His presence.

One with others similar to me, true Christians, that I can turn to who will always do their best to point me in the right direction or to just worship with me.

Imperfect humans, but so wonderfully made and striving for what God would have for them above all else.

I've been so blessed with this gift of Christian family in my life that I've come to realize more tangibly and deeply in recent years what others around the world or down the street don't have.

I can only hope and pray with all my heart that they too will find what I've so easily been given... God and a real Christian family to live life with.

God is the single greatest thing to living that there ever was. He is the purpose of life and it beautiful!

Courtyards are gathering places for people to fellowship, outdoor sanctuaries to rest, eat, laugh, play, talk, and love.

The church is the body.

God as the head.

Home is where God is.

I pray for every one of you that you find your courtyard, your resting place to watch the clouds role by with Him.

Scripture:

Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

2 Corinthians 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27