God's Way of Saying Everything is Going to Be Okay!

Ezekiel 1:28: Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. 

 Last night after church, we saw a double rainbow. What was most spectacular was the fact that the arch was directly over the Church.  Raised Catholic, I have received four of the seven Sacraments.  These four are Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation.  Even though I attended Sunday School and a Catholic Church almost every Sunday with my family, I would not say that truly valued the written words of God in the Bible.  However, all that has changed now that I attend a non-denominational Christian Center and Church.  I have much to be thankful for, and I attend mass (almost) every weekend to be reminded of God's love and Generosity. I should admit why I really attend mass on the weekend.  I love hearing our Pastor 'comediate' the written word and how it really applies to my life. You might think comediate? - That isn't even a word! I know.  Pastor Troy conveys the written message in the Bible to an audience full of everyday people in an entertaining and enthusiastic way.  Did you you know enthusiastic means "In God?"  Our Pastor makes you want to come to mass to hear the reasoning behind a certain situation or predicament that as everyday people we don't know how to answer; we don't know how to take care of it; we can't fix it - on our own.  

It is not just our Pastor Troy who is inviting, but the entire congregation. I love how our congregation welcomes all.  You walk into our church half way through service if you can't get off work in time, if you forget what time it starts (- my first two times), or even if the bus rusn a bit late. You can walk in if you have never been to church before and someone will hand you a bag of cookies and find you a place to sit. You can sing loud or you can sing in your head. You don't have to say things at specific times like you do during a Catholic Mass. Our Church really welcomes all and our Pastor constantly reminds us that each one of us, including him is human. We must continually forgive each other for things we say or do.  I go to service to be reminded of that every weekend, and then I try really hard - and I do mean TRY to remember it during the week. Man, I am not that good at it.   I figure one day, I will get it - I will remember.  

Now you might think why is Hannah (this is a question most of my friends from College and Highschool will think) why is Hannah writing about God.  I was the one person during college who went to a  reconciliation service at the on-campus Catholic Church in high-tops and a big over-sized puffy (it was winter and snowing in Wisconsin), and left with a request from the priest to stop acting "not-god like" and if I managed - he would take me out! For a Steak Dinner!! I even pointed at my friend and asked if she could come too (I thought maybe he was joking). His reply to my request: to stop doing "ungodly acts (most college things)" for 3 months, he would take me out for a steak dinner.  Now you are thinking, what?!? Yes, I thought the same thing and never stepped back into that church.  I mean all the scandals with the Catholic Priests were being reported on at that time and it just seemed as if I did not belong as a 'Catholic'.  But this post is different. This post is about truly understanding why I attend Mass. I never thought about the why before. I always thought about the why do I have to (ha).  My parents, mostly my mom, would say, every Sunday Morning, "Hannah let's go" for about 20 minutes prior to Mass. I would roll out of bed and be told, "No, you are not wearing that. Change!! We are going to be late," and I would change and then sit with my mom and dad sing the prayers and hymns, say the the "right" things, receive the bread and body of Christ, and leave.  The best part was summer masses because on the way home we would get donuts! Now, I truly believe that I have a reason as to why I go to Mass and most importantly,  I really feel a need to go to service. 

The best news is that my current Church Center is expanding because it believes that Everyone will come to God. So they are building a bigger Center that will fit all who want to attend. We have grown so much as a congregation that we need a new building.  

Therefore, I decided not only to donate, but to ask others to help raise funds with me! My goal is to climb a fourteener and have people donate per foot, two feet, five feet, ten feet, hundred feet, ect. for every foot I complete. I have always wanted to climb a fourteener and I thought why not do something extremely challenging while raising money for God. All that I raise will go to God. I thought about climbing one in October. 

Anyone can donate, and you can pledge a penny, five cents, a dime, a quarter or even a whole dollar for every two feet, every fifty feet, every hundred feet, or even thousand feet that I climb. I would document that I climbed and I would climb with an experience Fourteener climber.  

I think the double rainbow over our church last night means that I need to contribute and offer others the opportunity to contribute as well.

I am stepping outside of just our church or any church and ask everyone to be apart of making a dream come true! These days everyone is asking for help in a monetary form. So I know this is more like ugh! Hannah would ask, but:

 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

It is true those who plant only one or two seeds will only get one or two plants.  Those who plant many seeds will get a much bigger harvest and from one seed comes many flowers and many produce.  The seeds that we plant, whether or not, I stay in this community will give me more than I can imagine down the road. Can you imagine giving to a campaign, and meeting someone years down the road who is helping you finance your home or car and they say that they were in a dark place in the middle of Steamboat CO and they went to a Christian Center and they felt accepted and wanted to make something of themselves and you tell them that you helped to donate to that center and they give you the best rate?? I think of all the possibilities and how we are all connected...

I will have more details later, but I would like to climb Mt. Elbert (a fourteener).  If you know of any experience climbers or would like to pledge a certain amount towards this cause, I will be posting more about the campaign when I have all the details figured out.  I just needed to write about the plans because I have been praying about how much I can give, and I feel like I can give more if I just ask! NOW WHO IS EXCITED TO JOIN THIS CAMPAIGN?! (haha)!