Donna’s Pilgrimage - on the road to beautiful

Happy 24th Birthday, Alicia!
I guess this is the last day of your 31 birth day celebration. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you.

First….HAPPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!!!!!

We went to church with my mother this morning. I haven’t been to St. John’s UCC Church in Nazareth in a very long time. The church is known for its amazing music. The first hymn blew me away…there were trumpets and bells, and voices, and drums. It was very emotional. This is the church where I grew up, where I sang on every choir I could, where I played the handbells. It brought tears to my eyes when I listened and remembered the one youth pastor who told us the truth and changed my life forever. You see, the Bible is not preached at this church. The 1000 people who attended this morning heard the gospel according to Rick Warren and Pastor D. They heard a letter read from a man in prison “that is real as opposed to the Bible stories”…yes, the pastor actually said that. They heard that there is no Satan, and that temptation should not be resisted. I kid you not, the pastor said these things. I wrote them down as he said them bc I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Mind you I was writing with one hand and holding back my husband with the other hand bc he was ready to bolt. I can tell you that as happy as it made my mother that we went with her, we will probably not go back.
I’m one hungry Christian, hungry for more of Christ, more of the truth, hungry for transformation. I don’t want anything less. I will not settle has always been my motto. I will not settle for anything less than all God has for me. Hold me accountable. And pray for me to speak the truth in love to my friends who filled the UCC pews this morning. I will have opportunities.