Church of the Small Things
Church of the small things.
Now you know that my favorite new author is Melanie Shankle, the author of "Sparkly Green Earrings," "The Antelope in the Living Room," "Nobody's Cuter than You," and of course, "Church of the Small Things," a Bible Study devotional that I recently went through with the ladies at my church. "Church of the Small Things" empathizes the divinity and power in small, seemingly inconsequential moments. The book revolves around seeing how God uses the things in our lives, like packing a lunch or helping someone, to make a difference in the Kingdom of God.
Since I liked Melanie so much from the "Church of the Small Things" companion book that I borrowed from the library, I decided to read her other books, too. "Nobody's Cuter than You" is a memoir on friendship in which Melanie describes all of the meaningful relationships that she's had in her lifetime, starting from when she was a little girl.
This got me thinking of my childhood best friend who moved away when we were in 5th grade after being best friends since Kindergarten. I sent Els a Facebook message (since I don't use real Facebook or have her phone number after we lost contact years ago) (also note that I have only seen her twice since she moved away and both times were for about less than 30 minutes) to ask her if she had any memories that she could share from our time growing up.
And do you know what she said that was so profound to me after reading "Church of the Small Things" that speaks directly to what Melanie was getting at? Els said that she always remembers that my family would take her to an A.W.A.N.A. Club. A.W.A.N.A., where we would play games, sing songs, and recite memory verses. A.W.A.N.A., where we went every week for probably three years to learn more about Jesus. We deepened our relationship by attending this club, not only with one another, but with God. Even though I don't remember any specifics regarding Els from our A.W.A.N.A. adventures, I know that God was obviously working through these experiences because SHE remembered it. It must have meant something to her.
So am I seeing how Melanie is speaking of "Church of the Small Things?" Yes. God is true and is faithfully working in all of the small areas in our lives, or in what we perceive to be small moments.
Oh yeah, almost more importantly, she remembered that on the way to A.W.A.N.A., my dad would listen "to that one guy who made parody songs." It was something so regular and consistent in her life, that she remembered it, 12 years later. In school, I learned that sensory details often go along with or help preserve memories, and that was true in this case. It was a steady and constant factor, and is proof and testimony that God shows up, even in the small things.
I started this blog as a memoir to share some of my life stories with you. My goal is that these encourage and educate you on how to live a more joyful, healthier, full life; one of hope.
Now you know that my favorite new author is Melanie Shankle, the author of "Sparkly Green Earrings," "The Antelope in the Living Room," "Nobody's Cuter than You," and of course, "Church of the Small Things," a Bible Study devotional that I recently went through with the ladies at my church. "Church of the Small Things" empathizes the divinity and power in small, seemingly inconsequential moments. The book revolves around seeing how God uses the things in our lives, like packing a lunch or helping someone, to make a difference in the Kingdom of God.
Since I liked Melanie so much from the "Church of the Small Things" companion book that I borrowed from the library, I decided to read her other books, too. "Nobody's Cuter than You" is a memoir on friendship in which Melanie describes all of the meaningful relationships that she's had in her lifetime, starting from when she was a little girl.
This got me thinking of my childhood best friend who moved away when we were in 5th grade after being best friends since Kindergarten. I sent Els a Facebook message (since I don't use real Facebook or have her phone number after we lost contact years ago) (also note that I have only seen her twice since she moved away and both times were for about less than 30 minutes) to ask her if she had any memories that she could share from our time growing up.
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| Zondervan.com |
Oh yeah, almost more importantly, she remembered that on the way to A.W.A.N.A., my dad would listen "to that one guy who made parody songs." It was something so regular and consistent in her life, that she remembered it, 12 years later. In school, I learned that sensory details often go along with or help preserve memories, and that was true in this case. It was a steady and constant factor, and is proof and testimony that God shows up, even in the small things.
I started this blog as a memoir to share some of my life stories with you. My goal is that these encourage and educate you on how to live a more joyful, healthier, full life; one of hope.
I write about my fascination with whole foods, my love of Jesus, my struggles, my childhood stories, my passion for education, and my devotion to creating a healthy life (body, mind, and spirit) for every person in the world.
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