Mrs. Serendipity – Greatest Earthly Gift

Happy Birthday! 

I’m not sure you recall this detail, but last year marked 10 years since we became close. One of the earliest and most precious gifts the Lord, in His mercy, gave me through you was restoring me to a church community—and that’s what I want to celebrate you for in this season.

At that time, I was drifting in spiritual confusion. With so many mushrooming churches, I - like many undisciplined believers - had concluded that since no church is perfect (which is true), I could settle for “online church” and abandon gathering with believers altogether. Jake Colsen’s “So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore” had only reinforced that misguided conviction. For years I walked without the fellowship of God’s people. While I hadn’t shipwrecked my faith, the absence of community led to moral decline, since I had no one to walk with or hold me accountable, as healthy believers ought.

But then, in late 2014, a church girl walked into my life—serendipitously, since our official encounter wasn’t planned. Your innocent love for God, your constant nudges toward what is pure, honorable, and of good report, and your zeal for community stirred something in me. You helped me rediscover the joy of belonging to a family of believers. Our conversations carried a compass that filtered out the trivial, and wisdom reminded me that every lasting friendship needs a joint cause. Since you were already a “10” to me, I knew I needed to return to a church community and commit myself again—so that our bond would rest on something deeper than passing attractions

Thankfully, the last church I had attended still had strong midweek fellowships. Rejoining them with her was a balm to my soul, because nothing delights/(ed) us more than opening the Scriptures. Of course, with time, that same church sadly drifted into falsehood - even cancelling midweek Bible studies. But by then, the Lord had already used you to rekindle in me a love for His Word and His people.

Looking back, I marvel at how the Lord has shaped us. They say change is a process, not an event and here we are now, babes, zealous for our Lord and King in every field He calls us to.

Who would have imagined that the greatest impact you’ve had on my life isn’t only in the three beautiful children we’re raising so passionately in the fear of their Creator, or in the many projects we continue to joyfully pursue together. No - what I treasure most is that over these twelve years, you’ve been a godly compass: pointing me to Christ, walking beside me, rebuking me when needed, praying with me, studying the Word with me, and opening our home to weekly fellowship - all while doing me good in countless ways.

So, my dear Greatest Earthly gift, on this your birthday, I rejoice that the Lord used you to reignite my love for Him. My prayer is that you never lose sight of why you’re here: created to enjoy God and to glorify Him - in every sphere of life, and with every person He brings across your path.

Continue to thrive, babes.