It only takes a spark to get a fire going

Let me start out by saying that I'm not some über religious person. I believe in God and Jesus and in living my life right.  I don't have any desire to push my religious beliefs on you... or for you to do that to me.  I am involved just enough in my church to feel like I play a part.  I guess you could say that I have a very lax attitude when it comes to my church life.

I haven't always been this way.  I can remember in high school being on fire for Jesus.  I wanted anyone and everyone to come to church and youth group with  me. I truly  had that love and wanted to share it.

However, that "feeling" hasn't been part of me for a long time....  but I truly believe things happen for a reason.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me to join a committee at church.  Our pastor retired a couple months back and a planning committee was being formed to decide what our church's needs and wants are.

You see... I go to my church. I enjoy the people of my church. But I don't feel like my church meets all of my needs.  Do I complain?  Well, no.  That's not my nature. It's also not my nature to quit something just because my needs aren't met (Guess that's why I stayed in my marriage - but that is here nor there now)  Once I'm committed, I'm there for the long haul. And up until now... I had never been asked my opinion about how I viewed the workings of my church.

Tonight was eye opening for me.
I saw that others saw the same short comings as I did.
The same reasons I have been hesitant to give myself fully to my church are the same reasons why others have pulled away.

It's strangely liberating.

We have decided we aren't going to sit idly by any more... that this is our church!  So, in moving forward, we are going to make it the best one yet and we are going to get someone in the pastoral position that feels the same way.

There might be a spark left in me after all...