Grooving with The Groves

It was a cold, blustery night in Portland exactly one year ago. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, which threatened my dinner plans because of the little grape of a Dodge Neon I was driving... but I made it. Over the river and through the 'burbs to the southeast side I went for a pho-licious dinner with a new(ish) friend.

Before I continue, I'd like to take a moment to back up and give you some history. For the sake of brevity (and trust me, this could be WAY longer), I'll limit it to bullet points. Paragraphical bullet points... and I promise they eventually tie together.

• In 2008, I met the above dinner date friend (Sunia) and her husband (Paul) on recommendation of another friend (Lori, who I am sure will be highlighted in blogs to come). My previous knowledge about them was 1) They were musicians 2) They came to Portland from the midwest to plant a church and 3) I'd really like them. It was kind of like a first date in the sense that you're trying to get to know the person in a very limited amount of time and all the while wonder if that other person likes you.
• Also in 2008, I started getting involved with a Portland community Bible study. (the same community group that led me to baking my first wedding cake, holla!)
• Fast forward to the very end of 2009. God started stirring things in my heart (as He does quite often). This time it was a sense of major change... and as you might have read from a previous post, I hate change. Especially change in a lifelong thing, like the place I attend church. I had been attending the same wonderful place my whole life, and while it's no big thing for a lot of people... it IS a big thing for me. It's hard to understand why a good thing needs to come to an end... and it would take an act of God to move me. So while it was uncomfortable, I started visiting other churches once every six weeks or so in hopes that God would show me the way. It kind of felt like going to the doctor. I didn't really enjoy it, but I knew it was the right thing for me to do.
• 2010 rolls around and as a result of my community group, I decide to organize a coffee shop concert in March to raise funds for Convoy of Hope's relief efforts in Haiti... appropriately entitled Hope for Haiti. I found a mix of local musicians, including (wait for it...) Paul & Sunia! They, along with two other musicians from the church they had planted, graced the shop with skillfully crafted tunes of hope, love & justice. I liked them. A lot... but from afar.
• Fast forward to the end of the summer, and I got a facebook message. (You were waiting to see how long it would take for me to start name dropping social network sites, huh?) It was from Sunia and she was asking me how I felt about putting together another benefit concert, this time for Pakistan. We called it Portland for Pakistan (I like alliteration, don't judge me) and set it for October. I was intrigued by this and decided I was interested in these people.
• Labor Day rolls around and of course that means BBQ time! Lo & behold my worlds collide and my Bible study people fuse with the people from this church plant (as a few of the Bible studiers overlapped with the church). I had a good convo with Paul about the church and what they were all about. I'm not sure if he knew I was secretly interviewing him. Heck, I don't know if I knew I was secretly interviewing him! After that I decided it was high time I checked these people out.
• So began my church dating relationship. We (me and the church) would "see each other" every three weeks or so. I was totally crushing but never would admit it. Come on now, I'm a lady! Plus, like I said, it would take a big thing for me to make a real commitment. I would bring friends with me every once in a while too to get their opinion (I guess you could equate it to having friends meet a boyfriend in hopes that they'll give you insight on whether he's a keeper or not). While people gave me the green light, I still wasn't convinced. And I guess that's okay. This is just how I am. My prayer life regarding this matter often would include questions like "God, I know You're moving me somewhere. Where?!" Aside from when I visited the Sunday service, I feel like I often would run into the church peeps at events & celebrations. Until one day, Sunia suggested we actually hang out. This brings me back to the beginning of this post... (goodbye, bullet points!)

We sat there slurping away and sharing bits about one another, vision, purpose, Portland, Jesus and how it all meshes... and stuff. Halfway through our dinner, Sunia said something to me. Something she promises she'd never said before. "I want to you pray & consider being a part of our church community". I am pretty sure I didn't really have much of a response, because I like to try and keep my thoughts and emotions at a simmer. But something sparked in me. Later that night and in the weeks to come I prayed harder and considered what was spoken so blatantly. I'd ask God "That's so strange! Why would she say that?" or "Can you believe that? God, that's so weird!" and I almost feel like God was looking back at me with eyebrows raised, like "Child, please. Are you serious?". But thank God for His patience and grace. If I were God, I'd have slapped my face. But He worked with my timing issues. He spoke sweetly to my soul and surrounded me with the right people to help a sista' out.

All that to say, I go to a church called The Groves. This post isn't even the "why" it's the "how", and seriously... even if I'm the only one, I'm amazed. Because it's totally not in my nature to be here. And there's no doubt in my heart and mind that God made this happen. God took randomness and made sense of it. The places I've been and the life I've lived are all a part of where I am today, churchiness and non-churchiness. The church I came from is a beautiful part of the story and where I go will be part of it as well. He took the bullet points of my days, the seemingly disconnected things, and brought them together. He does this with everything in our lives. He takes what we have, what He's given us... He takes what we see and can't see... and weaves it into a lovely little piece of art, which is our lives.

People say "when you know, you know"... and I guess it's not just true for lovers. 'Cause this is church... and while it took a few good God-nudges, I knew. God knew. He has me right where He wants me. He brought me here.