God is good…all the time

For God is good…all the time and all the time…God is good!

These are the words that I heard at the close of every service at 12 Stone Church while I was living in Georgia. They are such a great reminder of God’s faithfulness, especially when you are living in His will for your life.

As I stated before, one of my biggest concerns in moving to Florida was finding new friends. Another one was finding a church. I was raised in a Southern Baptist church and also attended one while I was in college. However, when I moved back to Georgia I began hunting for a church other than the one I grew up in. I attended several different churches for various amounts of time and finally settled at 12 Stone Church. Although I was not there long, it set the bar high for finding a church here in Florida.

Since my parents moved here in 1999, they had attended several different churches and I had been to most of them at some point while I was here visiting them. Although none of them were bad, I never found one that felt quite like home. I knew the likelihood of finding a mega-style church was unlikely in this small beach town, but I began praying for God to guide me.

While at an end of the season dinner for cheerleading last winter, I shared with a friend my plans to move to Florida. This friend had a son in my class and had choreographed our dances for cheerleading. She had also attended the same high school as me, although we were not there at the same time. As I was sharing with her that I would be moving close to the beach and not too far from Disney World, she asked me the name of the town. When I told her NSB, her response floored me!

She replied her next door neighbors had recently moved to a town close to the beach and not too far from Disney World…to plant a church. It was called Church at the Beach and they had recently had their first official Sunday. This was too amazing to be just a coincidence. This was one more confirmation that my step of faith was revealing His faithfulness!

When I got home that night I sent her previous neighbors a message on Facebook. The pastor and his wife immediately responded and I knew then I had found my church home. I got to meet them soon after that while I was down visiting my parents in February. On my next visit over spring break, I got the pleasure of having lunch with the pastor’s wife and her sister. Through all of this, God was continuing to reveal His plan for moving me here.

One of the biggest things was the pastor of Church at the Beach is friends with the pastor of 12 Stone Church. I was always in awe of the stories PK shared about the growth of 12 Stone Church and the power of prayer in that journey. I knew anyone who had that kind of faith and vision for a church was someone who must keep good company. I love that the pastor of CATB has this same kind of faith and vision for God to do great things here in NSB!

Another thing, is that God continued to answer my prayer for friends. Shortly after moving here, I began attending a ladies small group. Together we have been saying, “So Long, Insecurity” and grown so close in the process. This book has allowed us to share real struggles, challenges, and triumphs while growing closer to one another as sisters in Christ. I have met so many wonderful women from so many different walks of life and am so thankful for each and everyone of them.

So although I no longer get to hear PK close the service every Sunday saying, “For God is good…all the time. And all the time…God is good” I will forever know these words to be true!