Guest Devotional - April McCullohs

I've got a bright green door.

The kind of green that makes a great, big contrast with our yellow house.

And when you open that green door (if you were expected), you'd most likely see a tidied up entryway and a dining room which leads into a kitchen with counters wiped down and then you'd see the living room, with no toys not too many toys strewn across the floor.

The guest bathroom won't have its usual potty seat attached to the toilet and the shower curtain should be pulled shut to obstruct the buckets and boats and balls that litter the bathtub floor.

What you won't see is my bedroom, with its unmade linens and laundry-still-in-baskets and you definitely won't be touring my closet or bathroom.

Because that's the way we live.

And it's not bad, or hypocritical or full of pretense.

We only have so much time to clean, and we prioritize what we want others to see and what we don't want others to see.

It's really okay--with our literal homes.

The problem occurs when we live like this in all of our relationships.

When the only thing we let our close friends see are the tidied-up areas of our hearts, the places of success and happiness.

When we only allow our friends into the "guest areas"-- the ones that are presentable and under control and ready at all times for a realtor to show potential clients.

I just spent three hours with a friend who's been invited into my life, regardless of the conditions of the many rooms of my soul. The kind of friend who answers the question, "So, how's your heart?" without the obligatory superficial crap.

This friend ever-so-boldly invited me into her own basement--the kind of human basement with cockroaches and cobwebs and things we as humans don't want to confess we own. It was with fear and pain that we walked down those steps as she shared her story with me. She brought her ugly-things into the light--the light of heart-felt confession to another human--and it wasn't easy at all.

Since her courageous invitation-- to know even the most regretted and broken parts of her story--I've been able to reciprocate. Today, we walked down into my basement and I showed her some of my ugly-things. Together, we flipped the light on, acknowledged the fallenness of our human condition and then turned our eyes to the Only Light we know.

It's not just the confession and the invitation of another person into our brokenness that causes the life-resuscitating healing we so desperately need.

It's the turning toward the Light of Jesus-- One who doesn't down-play our screw-ups and at the same time grants us a purity and wholeness--a freedom from shame-- we could never achieve on our own.

Fear and shame and guilt make for stunted relationships and hearts that can only give so much. Only when we allow Jesus into our closets and bathrooms and basements (and he often invites another friend) will we discover the uninhibited freedom to love and be loved the way we were meant to.

That's the power of the invitation. It requires much, but for those bold enough to risk it all, the rewards are immeasurable.

Who have you invited into your basement? Is Jesus welcomed there?

Join us August 14 for the Last Dinner and Devo's of the Summer!

 Join us for the last Dinner and Devo's of the summer!

Starting on August 9, you'll receive a brief devotional in your email inbox each day leading up to the dinner. This Dinner & Devo's theme is Community--No Woman is an Island.

On August 14 we'll get together for a fabulous Italian dinner, fun games and conversation around the week's theme. You need to sign up by Sunday, August 8. The cost is $10 to cover dinner.

Sign up by emailing catbladies@churchatthebay.com to reserve your spot, sign up for the devotions and receive directions.

We already have 11 RSVP's and we'd love for you to join us and bring a friend!

Guest Devotional - Stacy Heckman

When you hear the word “freedom” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it an image of the American flag and all the freedom that it stands for? Or do you think of war-torn countries where freedom is just a distant thought that may never be an achievable goal? Or do you think of an addiction that you are struggling with that you just wish you could gain freedom from? There are so many things that come to my mind when I think of this powerful word.

God gives us so much freedom in our lives. Free will is the most powerful example that I can think of. This idea that I can make my own decisions – whether I think God agrees with them or not – is very powerful indeed. I can recall many seasons of my life when my own free will led me very far from God. In college, there seemed to be so many “important” distractions: sorority life, grades, fraternity boys, parties, the latest fashion, working, etc. that my relationship with God was something that could wait until I was “grown up.” In retrospect, that decision to choose all of those other distractions over God led to so many bad choices, painful experiences and deep, deep regrets.

You would think I would learn, right? Nope. Free will snuck up on me again after college once I was out on my own and all “grown up.” I still didn’t see the need to make a relationship with Christ a priority on my list. If I made it to church on Sunday, I was really proud of myself. But an ongoing dialogue with God, reading the Bible, immersing myself in worship… nope. I was too “busy” climbing the corporate ladder, networking, preparing for a wedding. I took full advantage of free will.

Now, almost 10 years later I look back on all those “wasted” years when I could have been experiencing true freedom, instead of just free will. Oh the fulfillment I could have been enjoying, the true love that comes from God, the amazing gift of salvation and forgiveness. What was I waiting for? Why did God allow me to wander aimlessly for all those years? Well, I think that’s just it… He “allows” us to make our own decisions. To choose Him. To choose a relationship that provides real freedom. He’s always there waiting…standing with outstretched arms…wanting us to choose Him.

Have you made the decision to fully choose God as your redeemer? The benefits of using our free will to choose Him are too numerous to list. But God does offer us a glimpse of what is available to us if we choose to follow Him in Isaiah 48:17-18:

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you, and leads you along the paths you should follow. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”

Seems pretty clear to me… relationship with God provides clear paths, good things and peace. Sign me up for that freedom!

Don't forget to RSVP for Dinner & Devo's!

It's not too late to RSVP for our second Dinner & Devo's of the summer! 

We're meeting at 6:00 p.m. on July 17th at Allison Irwin's house.

This dinner's theme is Mosaic--the unique and different ways God has created you! Once you've signed up, you'll receive devotions written around our theme each day leading up to the dinner, starting on Monday, July 12 through Friday, July 16.

Come join other Church at the Bay women as we eat, play games and get to know each other better. RSVP by emailing catbladies@churchaththebay.com as soon as you can.

If you're not able to make it to this dinner, you can still sign up to receive the devotions by emailing catbladies@churchatthebay.com

Guest Devotional - Alexis Albright

“Any existence deprived of freedom is a kind of death.”

Memorializing our nation’s freedom is something truly worth celebrating. When you really think about what it means to be an American you’ll recognize we have FREEDOM of speech, FREEDOM for Democracy, FREEDOM of Religion, etc.

Freedom of Religion has allowed me the safety to worship my Lord on a daily basis. To worship Him in private and in public. To dialogue with Him wherever I am. To be led and to lead others according to the Bible. Freedom of Religion has allowed me to easily have a relationship with Jesus Christ--a relationship that has in turn given me many freedoms in my own life.

One of these freedoms has come in the last year. I struggled for about six years with my “role.” I’m a pastor’s wife, so what does that mean? I’m a mom so surely I should be doing “this” and “that.” I was an employee, but just part-time, so how could I really be excellent?

I constantly felt as though I should be doing more with every hat I wore. What I did in each of these situations was never enough. Taking care of the domestic responsibilities that allowed my husband the ability to go and perform his ministries didn’t really seem that abundant. And the day in/day out of caring for my kids was perpetually undercutting my idea of super-mom.

This battle of finding my “role” was one that I shed many tears over and one that kept total peace from filling my spirit. I cried out to God (for years) and asked for things to be made “right.” I felt, at times, stuck, like I was suffocating, and often times, I felt isolated. I wanted so badly to find my groove. I knew He wanted me to surrender, but I felt I had. I was doing everything I could to juggle it all.

It had come to a breaking point. One that required tough decisions. Complete surrender. I would give up my juggling act and let God show me how it should be done. And in this, I received complete peace. I now feel settled because my purpose is real. It fuels the beat of my heart.

God has defined my “role” like never before. When I stopped trying to find it, there it was. My mission is so vast. The greatest responsibility I have in discipleship is with the three little souls that I gave life to. The largest role I can play in ministry with my husband is being available and supportive - in whatever comes along. It doesn’t have to have a “title.” My outside job was left behind and new passions have been flourishing.

When it seems I have less control than ever, I feel my life has an extravagant direction. Since surrendering the hunt for a title, I have FREEDOM that defines me.

Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,”he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Second Dinner & Devo's- July 17

Join us for our second Dinner and Devo's of the summer on Saturday, July 17, from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

This dinner's theme is Mosaic, and it's all about how God has uniquely created us, with different gifts, passions, life-stories and more. You'll receive a devotion each day leading up to the dinner, starting on Monday, July 12, that will help us dive into the theme.

At dinner, we'll play games, eat well, and break into small-ish groups to chat.

Please bring $10 to cover the cost of food and drinks. If you RSVP but have to cancel later, please cancel no later than July 15 so we don't overspend on food.

Bring a friend! Last Dinner and Devo's was a great success and we're looking forward to sharing it with you! 

Email catbladies@churchatthebay.com to RSVP by Sunday, July 11.