Today is our 7th anniversary of attending Compassion Christian. Of course it was Savannah Christian back then. WOW, has it been awesome.Life and marriage has never been the same since that day. Sandy and I have grown so much with the help of God and our great church.
HOW DID GOD LEAD US BACK TO CHURCH?
We used to go to many business and community events and if they said free food, wow we were there! I mean who doesn’t like free food especially home cooked type food? Yes, we went to a lot of paid events too but we looked for free ones that had to do with things we were getting involved in first.
Sandy was going through the internet looking for a few things to go to this particular week and found a church that was doing Wednesday cookouts for the community and for the people who wanted to stay after they had service. She wasn’t sure if I would want to go because it’s been a few years since we have been to church, but she had no idea my heart was ready again.
When she told me, I said why not, let’s do it and we will stay after and get fed both ways. This event was a summer thing, so we truly enjoyed it. We went three Wednesdays in a row and on that 3rd Wednesday we liked the people and thought, let’s try their Sunday service and agree to go the following Sunday.
We got to the church, and as soon as we walked in I already felt a little uneasy here. Everything just felt different. I can’t explain it, but it just did. As the service was starting they had so many traditions, they would do, and I was like I do not think this is the church for us. I am not saying the church is bad because it had great people; I just knew deep in my heart this was not the place we were supposed to be worshiping and serving.
As I sat there, I was arguing with God during the service. I told him my heart was open to church, and this is where you led me? What am I supposed to do now because I know this is not where we need to be. I felt the nudge of God calm down. He had to get me here to open me up to church again. I also felt him nudge in my heart that he wants us at Savannah Christian Church. I was like you are kidding, right? I got no answer back, so I figured I needed to step out on Faith on this one.
As the service was ending and we were leaving, I was talking to Sandy and asked her if she was comfortable hoping her answer would be “NO” and sure enough no was her answer. I said great because during service God told me we were supposed to become members of Savannah Christian Church and we were supposed to start there next week.
She looked at me a little funny but said if that is what you believe then let’s go. I found out months later that she thought I was crazy and just figured we would try this church and then move on until we found another one that felt right.
Here is the thing, we never considered Savannah Christian, I do not know why but that church was never on our radar. We knew we had friends that went there but for some reason we just didn’t think it was the church for us. I am just not sure why we never considered it, but we didn’t.
Well, I got home to look up the church that we are now going to join. Sounds crazy I know especially after what just happened with the other church. I had no idea what the church was all about but knew we were supposed to be there. I just knew! As I was looking over things, I began to like what I was seeing and then I went to Facebook and posted out there that we would be trying Savannah Christian the following Sunday.
One of my friends who moved away from Savannah private messaged me for me to call him and when we spoke he started telling me why I would love that church. He told me how the truth is said there and how if he lived within 2 hours of the church he would still go every week. He went on to say that he is having trouble finding a church in his area because of how he feels about Savannah Christian.
Needless to say, I was so excited after that call. I was so pumped to go to this church. Once we arrived and the worship music started, I felt like I was in Heaven there. I felt right in place then as Cam preached the sermon I was 100% comfortable and found out that Sandy was also.
Here we are now leaders of the church 7 years of attendance and wow is all I can say. Many times in life when God speaks you still wonder if it was him or not, but there have been a few times in my life where I knew 100% that God spoke to me. Marrying my wife was the one time and this was another. I knew without doubt that God told me that we are supposed to be at this church. I also know that this story sounds a bit crazy, but it’s what happened, and it’s the reason we are back at church. God used food to get us back to church. Never underestimate what God will do to get your attention.
Living an Inspired Marriage,
Chris Benton
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I am co-founder of Inspired Marriage. I went through 19 years of addictions until God healed me Dec 26th, 2007. The first 5 years of our marriage was hell because of my addictions. With Sandy's patience, I was able to allow God to work in me and we have been growing spiritually together ever since! Oct 5th, 2023 was 21 years of marriage and it's been an inspired one!
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