I belong to Christ and I will shine on.

Mars Hill Bible Church is 30 minutes away from Hope College. But even with the drive every Sunday it was one of my favorite parts of Holland. Over 4 years of school I made that drive and sat in those seats and sang those songs with some friends that loved the place just like I did. I have pages of notes that I took during Rob Bell and a number of other speaker's sermons. Mars significantly impacted my faith, my awareness of how much God loves me, and how all of life is spiritual.

This church is so not a typical church. Yes, 1,000s of people attend and I can't really say I ever met anyone there but I still feel like I absolutely belong. The children's ministry is fantastic (3 of my friends were leaders). The music mixes hymns, new songs, drum corps, and has a heart of worship. This place focused on bringing people to Christ and doing his work- it never felt like a show. The sermons stayed with me- all Sunday long, all week long, and I still think about so many of them. I remember one week as Rob was talking about a dozen people just kept walking around the room in and out of the aisles carrying boards and cement blocks. In the last five minutes as Rob kept talking they took their items to the stage. On our own, we carry these burdens, these cement blocks around all day. But when Christ is in our life and brings us together we take all those burdens to the cross and build an alter. They built a table from the boards and blocks and we took communion. So cool and makes so much sense.

Whenever I go back to visit Hope I always make sure to go back to Mars on Sunday. Today I got to sit with my parents on my left (hooray for Mother's day) and two of my best Hope friends (Tracy and Ruth!) on my right. I was so excited that Rob was speaking today.

"He leads me beside quiet waters, He restoreth my soul." -Psalm 23

We talked about the crazy states of our souls and how God wants, and does, bring us back to stillness.
The craziness that is going on in my life does not own me (even if it feels like it sometimes). I belong to Christ and I will shine on.

God restores my soul.
God refreshes my life.
God revives my humanity.
God returns me to my breathing.
God shuvs me to my rephesh.

(p.s. You can also get all of the Mars sermons on podcast. Totally worth it.)