My Pocket-Sized, Portable Church

Even before the pandemic, God was leading our family to make a few changes. Life was good. Really good. And even so, God was calling us out of our comfortable lives, out of an established “environment of success”. This was not unlike what God called many to do during the pandemic. 

For years, we had been praying about moving to a small town in Colorado where we spent summers and holidays. He answered those prayers very specifically in June. Honestly, I wasn’t really prepared for what it took to “walk in faith."

Moving required letting go of so much that was truly good in our lives. Hadn’t we let go of enough because of the pandemic? But we answered His calling by selling our “forever home,” leaving a school that we all loved (I mean, LOVED) and asking the best of friends and family to call us often, when visiting wasn’t even an option. 

The one thing God did not ask us to leave was our church. When overwhelmed with the pandemic or our moving across the country, the church shared a podcast where we and our five pint-sized people could take in bite-sized worship. 

The Takeaway podcast walked us through trials of the pandemic, Advent and now Lent.  And on Wednesday evenings, with children barely to bed, a group of women created space virtually and emotionally to share vulnerabilities and victories, to serve and be served, to seek and to surrender.  I’m not sure what the Lord has planned for our future, but because of this church, I know how to be a better part of the whole.

There are just some situations that take us from where we are to where God wants us to be.  Sometimes we go along innocently, as I did in March.  And sometimes we go begrudgingly, as I did in June.

In every situation, whether I packed my bags and printed out maps, or if I lost my license and allowed my passport to expire, God gets me where He wants me to be.  And along the way, if I pay particular attention, He gives me everything I need.

To learn more about our Family Ministry, contact Rev. Caroline Braskamp at cbraskamp@phpc.org