2024: week 5.

monday, january 29.

I don’t remember exactly what I did this day. After work, I mean. Laundry? Cleaning? Making my grocery list? I remember using this night as a night to get things done, even if I can’t remember exactly what that was. Oh well.

tuesday, january 30.

That. Sunrise. I will never not be obsessed with this.

My pastor at church on Tuesday night talked about how God’s love language is obedience. Because (among other places and phrasing) in John 14 Jesus tells His followers, “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

I just read through the Gospel of Mark and only read “the black text” – which means my focus was on what Jesus did and not what He said. One thing I noticed was how frequently Jesus gave instructions to His disciples, and then how it always happened exactly as He had said.

And I just keep thinking, God is so trustworthy. Why do I sometimes hesitate to obey?

wednesday, january 31.

I started reading the whole Bible in 30 days on this day because I’ve been wanting to do it again and because I finished Mark. It works out nicely because this reading plan will wrap on exactly the last day of February.

Also, if you’ve done the 30-day shred, you know that sometimes there isn’t anything else to say about your day except that reading the Bible filled in all the extra spaces and there was no room for anything else.

I worked, ran errands, and read 42 chapters in Genesis. That’s it. That was my Wednesday.

(Not a bad Wednesday though.)

thursday, febraury 1.

I got to be part of a Zoom call with John Mark Comer about his new book, Practicing the Way, hosted by Stahan Coleman (who I also love). I’m so grateful for JMC and his teachings and also his use of the word “practicing.” Because living like Jesus is definitely something you don’t master, and “practicing” leaves room for so much grace.

friday, february 2.

Making ravioli! This was so fun, so much work, and so delicious.

saturday, february 3.

I met a friend for coffee at my favorite coffee shop and then hung out there for a bit, trying to get some words out. Finding the time (and discipline – let’s be honest) to sit down and write takes so much intentionality these days.

Donuts and coffee help.

sunday, february 4.

The Belonging Co is TEN.

Honestly, this feels like more of a marker for me than a decade of calendar years. These ten years have been the most transformative. Maybe the best way to say it is that I went from being pretty passive about church, faith, and my relationship with God to being more active, bold, and free with it – because of this house, leadership, and community.

I noticed it pretty early on when, after years of opting to stay home and watch online if it was rainy, I chose to run barefoot through a sketchy parking lot in the pouring rain because a sudden summer shower came through and I was wearing sandals – but I didn’t want to miss a minute of worship.

I don’t want to miss You
I don’t want to miss what You are doing
I don’t want to miss You
I don’t want to miss how You are moving

I remember those words from years ago, and we sang them again on Sunday night. In some ways, they feel like the heartbeat. For as much as I could say about what I’ve seen God do in the past ten years, I think the most pivotal part has been how we’ve encountered who God is.

This house, that stage, and our lives have been a platform on which the goodness and glory of God have moved in powerful and (literally) awesome ways. And that changes everything.

But it feels more like we’re a seasoned pan. We may have experienced a lot, but there is still so much yet to come.

Because that’s who God is. He is and has so much more.