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Let's talk church...

 If I were to ask if you believe in God, many say yes.

If I were to ask if you are a Christian, again, many say yes.

If I were to ask if you go to church regularly, many say no.

That last answer makes me sad. BUT, I don't fault you entirely. I have attended countless churches over my lifetime. I grew up in the church as a daughter of a pastor/chaplain and a granddaughter of a pastor. If church doors were open, Escalante's were usually there. I also attended Christian schools from K-12, all an assortment of religious backgrounds. To say I've seen and heard a lot is an understatement.

Many have chosen that church isn't for them and that is a personal choice I can't fault them for. It saddens me because I truly believe everyone needs church and benefits from it, but I will never chase someone down and make them f



eel bad about their choices.

What saddens me the most, though. are those that don't feel comfortable in a church because of how they were treated. I hear that time and time again. From being gossiped about to made to feel less because of their clothing to being ignored, the reasons run the gamut for why people don't feel comfortable in churches anymore.

Well, guess what? I don't have a church home anymore, either. Nope. I left my church.

Before you think I've lost my mind and you send someone to check on me, let me explain.

I left my church last year during quarantine. Church was closed, yes, but things were happening in my church that I personally didn't agree with. (Because many of you know what church I attended, please understand that my decision was a personal one. I fault no one for staying and will not and have not publicly made a statement.) I then watched another local church online that was similar to my previous one and strongly considered going to that church once I felt comfortable doing so with Covid. But about two months ago, I felt an "urging" or "nudging" to not attend that church either.

It was a decision I wrestled with and didn't even tell my family right away because the nudge I felt was one so "out there" that I thought they'd think I was crazy. (By the way, they already think I'm crazy for a variety of reasons, so this just added fuel to the fire. 😂)

Guys, I feel the Lord telling me to start a church in my home.

I know! That sounds crazy, huh? I'm not even a pastor, though I was a Chaplain for 8 years and spoke almost every Sunday. I've led Bible study and various ministries throughout the many years in church, but leading a home church was NOT one I've done nor ever thought I'd do.

But, here I am. Funny. That's what several people in the Bible said before the Lord sent them out on crazy journeys. 

I can't do "rock star churches" anymore. I am tired of the smoke and noise. I'm tired of not being fully seen and known. I'm tired of fancy coffee bars and dry donuts. I'm tired of hearing people tell me the same things drove them from a church. And I am so tired of hearing people leave a church because they never felt loved, valued or seen. 

Yes, the Lord moves in any church that He is the center of and I am NOT saying that the churches I've attended over the years are not Christ-centered. I'm saying that I need more..

Church will be on Saturdays at 5. We will sing the best we can. We will praise the Lord with whatever we happen to have. We will share the Bible. And we will share in fellowship with other believers AND non-believers. I've been re-reading in Acts about the first churches and it literally took someone who believed and who gathered others together.

I believe. And I will open up my home to share it with others. Maybe it will be 5 or maybe it will be 25. Who knows? Maybe it will only last the summer. Maybe it will start other home churches. Who knows?

What I do know is that I have to follow when I feel the Lord nudge.

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