the end has come, part 2

Things I learned at Waters Edge this year…

1. Moving away from all things familiar can be a GOOD thing!  I recommend it, at least for a season.  I grew so much from being away for a season.  Moving to a place where people move a lot is a great idea… people are accepting and inviting, and very used to folks coming and going.
2. Seeing God work and move in a different area of the country is exciting.  My view of the Church and my view of God’s work in our world were definitely broadened.
3. Church… I learned so much about church this year, I can’t quite fit it into one bullet point.  I now appreciate the kind of church Waters Edge is SO much more than before I came.  God uses all differently kinds of churches, and I am excited to have been a part of an INCREDIBLE one, where attendees weren’t afraid to invite or bring their friends who otherwise would never step foot into a church.
4. Kids can definitely “get it!”  When looking for a church, one of my priorities will be finding a church that partners with families and invests time/energy/resources in kids’ ministry.  There are way too many reasons why it is important to invest in this, but it is… for kids AND for parents.  I learned that this year at Waters Edge.
5. Friends are everywhere.  I can’t begin to count the number of great people I met and got to know over the past year.  I’m so thankful for all the friendships built in Virginia.
6. Make friends with people who are different from you.  Make friends with people who are far from God.  Make friends with people who push you to excel.  I learned so much from the friends I made this year… both at Waters Edge and outside the church.  We can easily get caught in our own little bubble, whatever that may be… for me it was my “Christian bubble” during college and seminary in Birmingham.  God used this year in VA to stretch me in the area of friends!
7. The beach is awesome.  Visiting it many Fridays this year made me appreciate it so much more.  It’s a haven for me!  Along those same lines, coastal Virginia has a lot to offer… I know many would agree with me that it’s a great place to live.
8. Team… I had the opportunity to work on a team that I believe really lived out what team is all about.  They support one another, listen to each other, tackle problems together, evaluate, talk about the difficult, dream big, and love what they do!  These folks work so incredibly hard, and challenged me to push forward.  Their leader sets the pace and expects excellence, but does whatever it takes to help ALL team members succeed.  I will miss these guys and gals!