9/11 is the only event I can remember that comes close to resembling our current crisis. Contrary to what my elementary students think, I do not have first-hand knowledge of World War I or World War II. I'm old, but I'm not that old!
At our church I was responsible for leading the Bible study that followed 9/11. For this Bible study, we went back to the source. We read Bible verses, talked about how they applied to us, and we prayed.

If my own experience is any indication, anxiety and time can be a taxing mixture. I so often fill up any "free" time with worry, overlaying unnecessary structure upon anything that feels too loose, too flexible. As we all grapple to adjust our lives to the structures demanded by the COVID-19 moment, and perhaps even the newfound time that attends these days, I began to reflect on some of the ways the truths of Scripture address and understand our fears.

In John 13, Jesus did the most curious thing the moment he "knew the Father had put all things under his power." He assumed the role of a slave, took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin, washed and dried his disciples' feet, symbolically modeling for us what Paul later wrote - "he did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage... he made himself nothing..." Jesus made himself nothing to make us something by sacrificing everything.

People often go to therapy when they are in times of transition, in what I call the waiting place. There are so many examples of this: infertility, job loss, cancer, heartache, break ups, divorce, depression, anxiety.

Why is waiting so hard? In part, because we are made aware that we are not in control of our own lives. And that's frightening. We have to trust a God that we can't directly see or hear or touch. Normally, when things are going well, we act as if we are the god of our own lives. And if we're honest, it's easy to trust God when things are good, or they go our way, but to trust God in suffering, in uncertainty, in waiting, that takes a faith greater than our own.

This Sunday we launch a new series to begin the season of Lent at City Church.

Lent is designed to help us grow spiritually and prepare for Easter. There's a sense in which Lent should launch us into Easter and the new day of hope we enjoy as followers of Christ. What makes for a productive Lent? Carving out time to hold up Scripture as a mirror to our heart and mustering the courage to let the Holy Spirit speak candidly to us. This inventory-intake process encourages our souls to be honest with respect to our life mission to love God, love others, and love the city. This is exactly what we see in the ancient Hebrew prophets: they hold up the mirror of God's law to God's people.

Heavier than the fact that I've never been much good at waiting is the far greater burden that I've never quite learned how to wait. In my pursuit of immediate and observable outcomes, I have often overlooked the power of those patient, unobservable actions to which many others dedicate their lives. I marvel at thoughtful patience and mindful meditation. I am convinced that, for many of us, the word "waiting" takes on the qualities of a curse; waiting is a form of punishment, trial.

We’re going to hear from Kim and Tim Stephenson on how their faith influences their work. Tim is a trader for an oil and gas company and Kim is a stay-at-home mom of three and recently started working two days a week for a start-up company that sells baby products. Tim is also a City Church deacon. 

I experienced postpartum depression and anxiety after my son was born ten months ago. But this story isn’t about that. And some of the people involved in this story didn’t even know I was struggling. 

I hope that you have had the chance to meet Ayo Omopariola, our new Pastoral Resident. Ayo and his family have been a part of City Church for three years now, and we are excited that Ayo joined the City Church staff at the beginning of 2020 in a part-time role.

I love our diverse city!

Growing up in my small Appalachian town, everyone looked the same. If we talked long enough, we found we were probably related. Not so in Houston, and especially not in my fifth grade elementary class. My class mirrors Houston. We have a large immigrant population from multiple countries. Reasons for being here are as varied as their home countries: health care, education, relocation from natural disasters, escape from war, religious persecution, etc.