louer le Seigneur! (glorify the Lord)

I got to go to church today!

I suppose this might sound silly to all of you at home hitting the alarm about now, but it's taken me a little while to find a church to go to and figure out how to get there (and to get the rain to hold off). I was up till 2am on the internet last night (b/c it was down all week!), trying to figure out where I could go for church today. In short, my heart was hurting. I have settled in here, and have enjoyed my own personal chats with God (lots of time for that b/c God understands my English), but I was definitely missing my family; my church family. My heart was actually longing for and hurting for fellowship with others.

Though...I am normally not excited to try new directions. So I even prayed before I went to bed for God to be preparing a path for me, b/c I just wanted to worship Him. I found directions for Eglise Protestante du Pic Saint Loup online (written out in French). From what I could tell, it was fairly close to my hotel, which was great b/c the bus system is here and there on Sundays. It said it was only five minutes from Carrefour-I knew Carrefour!

So I wrote down all the directions in my notebook-word for word in case I found someone to double check them with (my mom's side). And when I got to Carrefour (a 15-minute walk), everything was closed, but a man was stopped at the gas station cleaning his car after a mini wash. I asked him if I was going the right way (my dad's side) and he said yes, and that it would be easy for me to find. When I turned around, giving thanks, he said, 'You're on foot?' Yep. He told me to be careful on the side of the road and pay attention. After I had been walking for another 30 minutes, I heard honking. At first I just waved the person on, not wanting to stop and chat with a stranger, but it was the same man. After he finished with his car, he knew it would take me a while to get where I was going (b/c obviously I really didn't), and he came to pick me up and take me there. He was very nice and I decided to put it in God's hands-I had a good feeling. He took me right to the church and was very kind. I would not have made it on time without him.

The good thing was that I walked in a little early too, before anyone else arrived. I got to meet Pasteur Christophe-he was very nice and even understood me! We had a good little conversation and he was surprised that I tried to arrive "by foot." Then when other people started arriving, this one lady (Jacqueline) came right to me (as I was sitting alone)-she kissed me on the cheeks and said 'Bienvenue!' (Welome), and she told me to sit with her. How wonderful and comforting. Not once did I even feel like I didn't belong. I was immediately greeted and kissed by my brothers and sisters. How pure and exemplary a congregation. The pastor even introduced me to the church during the announcements portion:) Then, I was completely filled when the first prayer came and he started slowly and simply with "Notre Dieu, notre Papa, ouvre nos coeurs..." (Our God, our father, open our hearts). But I was warmed how he used the word Papa instead of Pere. Mon pere is my father, but Papa is more like Daddy-how personal:)

I also enjoyed singing the songs; some of them new and some of them translated from the states...like, we sang "Il est exalte" (He is exalted). AND...we also had communion! We passed around torn off pieces of bread and one goblet of wine (more like how it really was, huh?). Between receiving the Lord's supper and singing the song afterward, my own cup had "runneth over," just as he promised. Had a little lump in my throat.

Afterwards, Jaqueline insisted that she take me back to the hotel, after she gave out bonbons to the "enfants." She gave me and another girl my age one as well; one for the "grande enfants" she said:) She also gave me her phone number so I could call her if I needed anything and for a ride next week.

Least to say (as I've already written a book), today was quite wonderful and refreshing; the right way to begin my week. Now I think it's time for a snack:) And as you can see, the internet is back...so I shall return later.

Many blessings,

Erin