The previous post was actually worked on over the course of a few days, then I wrote this one.

When I started my blog, I knew that I would share some of my personal thoughts and struggles and how they pertain to youth ministry or meteorology, my two greatest passions. However, I didn’t expect to be writing about a budding relationship a month and a half into blogging. I told Paul Block, about 6 months ago, that I felt in my spirit there was going to be a change in my relationship status. I just kept trusting God that it would come to past in his timing. Well, here it is with Mary! and I am now writing about relationship items.

Mary’s recent post about her coming to church with me is pretty good, but only the first half of a discussion that we have been having about our future together. What we discussed is that as we date we need to know and see how each reacts in there own element and with us that is our respective churches. She goes to Gaylord Community Church and I go to First United Methodist Church of Gaylord. Hers is charismatic and mine is old guard mainline. While I haven’t delved into my more charismatic beliefs on this blog yet, eventhough I’m a member of a mainline denomination, I don’t have a problem with going to her church. We are, after all, one body in Christ. So the discussion hinged on the fact that we want to get to know each other, and that if this relationship progresses to the point of marriage, we will need to make decisions in the future of where we are to attend church.

I made the remark that it was my feeling that we both needed to stay active in our own churches since we are not married and we each have obligations that we need to attend to at our home churches. So we decided that we would go to both churches for a while and see where God leads us. This decision was made rather easily, because of a couple of “God things” that we have noticed.

1. Several of her closer friends have begun to go their early service (9 am Service)
2. I was recently “layed off” from my Sunday school class (Sunday School starts at 9 am)

Very interesting. So today the plan was for her to go to her church and meet me at mine, since I am working midnight to 9 am this week. However, her car wouldn’t start so we ended up just going to mine.

This will work out most Sundays with my schedule. I am still going to be a back up for Sunday school, sing in the choir, and help with the youth groups. She is still going to continue to help with the youth at her church as well.

Our feeling is that God will show what we are to do as we go through this familiarization process called dating without rushing through things. Everytime we have to make a decision, we will try to remain open to God for guidance so that we may do his will for our lives.