A "Cheers" Moment

Have you ever seen the sitcom "Cheers" (aired 1982-1993)? The show takes place in a bar where people know each other by name, relax, and listen to each other's problems. Here are the lyrics to the theme song: 

 

"Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.

You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows
your name. "

Now this may seem crazy to you, but I'm about to compare an experience we had at a church to a sitcom that takes place in a bar... just go with me here. While we're in Texas, we're staying about 45 minutes from where I grew up. So, we jumped on the opportunity to visit other churches in this area with the hopes of getting plugged into life with people that live nearby us. So far, we have been to two churches. The first church was BIG. I felt lost and really small. That's great if you're looking to hide in a crowd, but we were looking for friends to share life with, not just to be entertained and check off a religious obligation on Sunday morning.

But last week was different...

last week was a "Cheers" experience.

 

Our close friends began attending this church earlier this year. This family has such a sweet servant's heart and are committed to loving others EVEN if it means meeting them where they are in the midst of the dirty reality called life. I'm convinced their youngest son is our biggest, most faithful prayer partner at 11 years old and about 4.5 ft tall. Every night and every Sunday they ask their church to pray for us, and when they found out about Baby Girl's possible medical needs they prayed more intensely than ever before. We arrived at the doors and were greeted BY NAME without introducing ourselves and we weren't wearing nametags or shirts with our names on them. They knew who we were... every body knew our name. When our friends introduced us to the head pastor he asked specifically how Baby Girl was. "Our troubles were all the same" because they chose to carry our burdens like they were their own.  We felt "they were glad we came". I'm sharing with the youth this Sunday. We look forward to sharing life with this group when we're in Roanoke.

 

Cheers.