Home at Last

After much pain, many tears, and a little searching, we have found our new church home: Timonium Presbyterian Church. While we have been attending mostly regularly since last May (visits to beloved churches like New Covenant Presbyterian and New Life Community occupied the other Sundays), Patrick and I are finally becoming members. This Sunday, we will commit ourselves to the fellowship, service, and support of Timonium PCA and will align ourselves with the dear believers found therein.

I cannot help but release a sigh of joy and contentment at the thought of finally "belonging" somewhere officially again. Words cannot describe how comforting it is to know that we will be joined with our brethren.

While it is a joyous occasion for us both, it is not without just a hint of pain. Leaving behind dear friends at New Covenant PCA was difficult. Unfortunately, driving that far to church was not conducive to allowing us to serve in the church. We will continue to drop in now and then to see everyone. You all helped me through a very difficult time in my life--and I am forever grateful to God for bringing me into your midst.

The other major change for me, personally, is not going to church with my family. For 22 years, I attended church with my family almost every Sunday. The Wilcox clan took up just about a whole row wherever we went, and I am a bit sad not to be with them now. I'll miss a certain little girl snoring loudly on my shoulder, hearing my father sing joyously off key, trying not to laugh at Jesse trying to explain that "I wasn't sleeping--I was praying!," and the many other things that made our Sunday mornings so interesting together. We aren't perfect, but we are a close family. True we still worship together from time to time, but I miss being together every Sunday. It was always my dream to sit with my children in the same pew as my parents and siblings every week, and it is with some regret that I resign myself to experiencing this only occasionally. I am still praying about my bitterness toward those who caused this separation, but I am also very thankful that God brought us out of that and has led us all into a very blessed time now.

Patrick and I will now take a stand with our own family with a new church family. Our time at Timonium has been so very blessed already, and it is wonderful to be able to serve and to fellowship with such warm, godly people. From the moment we walked into the door, we KNEW. This . . . was home. After the first Sunday, we agreed--we were fairly certain that God had brought us to this place and that He intended for us to stay. It is with peace, joy, and praise that we go to church every Sunday, and that is the way it is supposed to be.