Leah Kristie
About the Author

Leah is a stay-at-home mom and creative with a heart for women. In the margins of busy days with young kids, she writes about identity, motherhood, faith, and the goodness of God. She holds an MS in counseling and believes there is beauty to be found in our hardest-fought battles.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Thank you for this post. It is so true and a good reminder for anyone who has ever been disappointed or hurt by people in the church. Such a great reminder that it is ALL about Jesus and not about us. Blessings to you today!

  2. Amen sister! Our church is in a difficult season yet I see this lesson being taught & learned within our body. The lesson is hard & painful but the end result of more dependence on Jesus is SO SO SO worth it. Thank you for sharing. Blessings.
    PS Grateful for those willing to give their lives for our country & freedoms but even more grateful to The One Who frees us from our sin! HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY whether you’re in the USA or elsewhere.

  3. Yes Church is not the building. It’s is us being the hands and feet of Jesus helping people not all walks of life praying for them and loving them like Jesus did when on earth. We can go to a church for the sake of it then say na don’t like this church it does nothing for me. Or say why am I hear no one talks to me or I don’t like the Pastor. Or the people in this church. Then we can be people that move to another church thinking it will meet our needs. No we find out it doesn’t either. We stayed a while in all the different types of churches trying to get them to be the perfect church for us. Then we find none of them our perfect. We will never find that perfect church for us as there is not one. They all have falts. As we are people who are not perfect and never will be. Only God can make us perfect. We never be perfect this side of earth. No never. Me and my Husband did all of the above years and years ago. We thought all of thoughts I just said. We stay in this or this Church for so long. Then we say the things I just said. Then leave and try to find a perfect Church for us both. We went on trying so many different Churches. Then one day God spoke to both us. Said all this church hopping from one church to another. Your both never going to get the perfect church you can keep on trying. But no you not find it God said to us. Then God said if you went to a church with your hearts prepared probably to get out the word that is preach in that church don’t look at all the flaws you see and all the things you think are wrong. Plus look at your un perfect lives. You will see you are just as in perfect as the people in the church no matter were you go. Go to get out of the word what I want you said God out of it and remember the church is not the building. It is us being the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost world and living as God would have us and helping people in need and praying for them. That is the true church. You will see a difference light in the church God said to us both. Then we did that before we went to church we got our hearts right. Dond what God told us. Asked him to forgive us for all the wrong throughts we had about the church and trying to find the perfect church which we never did and never will this side of earth. So we did that and our attatude changed to the way we think about church and seeing the fults in it. We now go for the right reasons and pray for the church. What God is saying to us through the word they speak. We now are happy in the Salvation Army that we go to. Thank you so much for sharing this word today love it. All in my prayers all incourage. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little God bless xx

      • Yes Leagh thank God for the way he leads us. Thank you for your reply. God bless. Enjoy your kids my God richly bless them and you. As they grow up far to fast. My sister Eldest is 22 next month. I don’t have any not that brave. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

  4. I am sorry. There is a typo in a verse reference. The verse quoted should be from ISAIAH 41:10 NOT Isaiah 49:10. I love and claimed this particular promise as a teenager up till to date. Thank you for making the necessary correction.

    In Christ,
    Angie Honor-Schulze

  5. I think you need to be a little careful with the simplicity of this. I was going to a church for 17 years, and when my husband started an affair after 30 years of marriage, the pastor said a man having an affair is probably my fault as the wife. An elder offered to support and help my husband move out, because HIS second marriage was a better experience than his first. Another elder said “God made women beautiful, and sometimes as men we can overcome the lust, and sometimes they can’t.” My darlings, this IS NOT church. Simplifying these behaviors as something I must forgive makes NO SENSE. There are dangerous issues here, in this church, that should not be overlooked. I of course forgive their unbiblical responses, but this is not a leadership team ANYONE should be under the authority of, biblically speaking.

    • Stella, thank you for your message. I am grieved by the abuse that you and so many others have suffered at the hands of church leaders. These are not simple matters, and in many cases we need to set firm boundaries, confront abusers, seek counsel, and even take legal action. My heart here is not for easy forgiveness, but courageous steps toward healing. Thank you for sharing your story and bringing up this important point.

    • Stella,

      So sorry for what you have been through sweet sister. That particular church isn’t reading the Bible in the proper context. The leaders are not Godly men. Prayers for you as you travel this journey. Asking God to guide your steps & give you the wisdom needed to make decisions. Remember this also in the end God will ultimately judge everyone for their actions. Sending hugs your way. ((((((((((Hugs))))))))

      Blessings 🙂

  6. Hello

    Thank You for your Wonderful
    Testimonies!
    I know they are what I needed
    Day after Day!
    God Bless
    Sandy

  7. We’ve been hurt by every church we’ve joined but think we were forcing because we really wanted to be part of a church. Now waiting for God to tell us when and where. I trust Him to know what’s best for us.

    • Ariel, I am so sorry that this has been your experience. I am pausing to pray for you right now. Amen that God is trustworthy, and He cares so deeply for us.

  8. Wow this was something I really needed. My father was my pastor for my entire life, and when he went to heaven the church I had been so involved in just didn’t want me (or my family) any more, so we all left with a lot of pain.
    Like you my husband and I searched for a new church family and I made the mistake of comparing everyone to my father. And everyone fell short.
    Finally I heard God speaking to me and saying, “This is not about you….”.
    It wasn’t until I accepted this that I realized I had something to offer just in a new location.
    So happy to hear that someone else out there has had a similar experience.

    Thanks for sharing!

    • Renae, thank you for sharing your story! Your courage in the midst of great loss and hurt is so beautiful and encouraging to hear. Praise God for the way He gently leads us.

  9. So grateful for your beautiful, gracious words here, Leah! Thanks for your courage to share such a vulnerable story that so many of us have experienced on different levels. I definitely relate to the feeling of self-protection that is a normal response to past hurt. Thanks for your gentle invitation to step forward anyway, trusting Jesus to do a new thing wherever we are!

  10. Leah,

    Many churches today have become “entertainment” for their congregants. The members/attendees expect to have food, drinks, padded seats, nice music, etc. Throw in a sermon & there you have it. People aren’t generally going to church with a reverence for Almighty God. They want a good time & then they can check off their to do list attended church. It was never meant to be about us. Church is about God sending His only son to die a horrible death for us. Taking our place on the cross. It’s about the love of God not the ease of comfort of attendees. We need to rethink our ideas of church & go back to the fundamentals of courageous love.

    Blessings 🙂