This blog is directed towards Denver Baptist Church, my home church in Denver, Iowa. If you don’t attend this church or have never heard of it, you’re welcome to read this anyway 🙂
Dear church family,
I want you all to know how incredibly thankful I am for you. For some reason, as I read through old emails from Janice, Zach, and others (that I haven’t read until now), it hit me just how loving and giving all of you are. Now, I was aware of the loving and generous hearts that you all have, but as I sit here thinking, I realized how much of a family you all are to me. It hit me that this church isn’t just a church that asks how I’m doing in passing or gives regularly just because God says to in the Bible. And it isn’t just my parents’ church that I go to because they do. It’s my church too.
Here are some awesome things that I see in you, church:
You are a church that asks how others are doing because you truly care. You ask because you want to hear the truth, and not a fake, “I’m good.”
You are a church that gives regularly because you genuinely care about DBC.
You are church that gives out of the love in your heart. You gave to me so that I could follow the path that God lead me down. And I’ve seen you give on many other occasions as well.
You are a church that does not hesitate to help others in need. Whether it be staying late to help clean, making meals for those that need it (and even making meals for others because you just feel like it), providing shelter for those that don’t have one, and doing things that go unnoticed; you don’t give it a second thought.
You are a church that loves, supports, gives, and prays for one another.
You are a church of joy and beauty and love and grace and faithfulness and forgiveness.
You are a church that is open about pain and problems. You ask for help when you need it because you know you have a family that will stand with you, laugh with you, and cry with you.
You are a church of power and authority given to you by our Father – and there is no power or authority bigger than that.
I hope you can all be encouraged by these things.
Members/attenders of Denver Baptist Church, I love you. Thank you for the love and support that you have constantly given me and my family over the course of my time with you all (basically my whole life). I appreciate you all so much. Whenever I am at home, I know that I can walk into church on a Sunday morning and be greeted with smiles and kind words. Every single time and without fail, I experience that – thanks to all of you. Also, thank you for being a family that goes far beyond Sunday mornings. That’s how I know that my church is built on a solid foundation: when you are so deeply rooted in Christ that His love literally flows out of you into every area of your life and every day of the week. I see that in all of you.
May God bless every single one of you as you finish out this year and start a new one. Know that I am praying for you as I go throughout the rest of my journey on the World Race.
Love,
Megan Smith
