This past Saturday my wife and I moved into our first place together, a little apartment in Monticello. Being late July, it was predictably hot, and my father, who recently had hip surgery, was unable to help out. That left only my brother and me to take care of the heavier things. I can honestly say that I’ve never been so exhausted or drenched in sweat as I was by seven that evening. My mantra for that day, “it builds character,” had worn thin by lunch time. To make matters worse, we quickly discovered that our air conditioning wasn’t working. We also quickly discovered that sleeping in an 80 degree apartment is not comparable to taking a nap by the pool on an 80 degree day.

I tell that story to tell this one. I joined St. Paul’s as a new member on Sunday and enjoyed the welcome brunch and service. One of the things I have always liked about this church is that it has the benefits and resources of a large church, but has a small church feel. There are so many people always ready to chat and fellowship with you who are genuinely interested in your life. When I woke up Sunday morning I really had to talk myself into getting up out of bed to make it to church. Among the many things I had forgotten to pack the day before was my body wash and razor for shaving. I was tired, sore, disheveled, and probably smelling a little ripe. The last thing I wanted to do was leave the apartment for any reason. Not only that, but the apartment was a mess as we hadn’t had the chance to unpack anything. However, once we got to church, I knew we had made the right decision. I feel like God was pushing us to go, despite the many reasons I could think of why we shouldn’t. My mood was improved dramatically after church Sunday.

It’s odd how what I thought I wanted to skip out on was actually exactly what I needed most in the midst of a crazy, hectic weekend. Had I stayed home, I would have probably been grumpy the rest of the day. I suppose one of the main points of this post is just to express how amazed I continue to be at how God works in my life and the little ways in which he blesses me. I also want to express how thankful I am for my new church family and how much I am looking forward to growing here with all of you and meeting and talking with more of you.

In His Service,
Jarvis Howe