Monday, April 28, 2014

#17






Check out this picture of me decked out head to toe in Furman gear.  had on Furman sweatpants, got cold, and put on a sweatshirt too. I didn't realize right away that it had FURMAN emblazoned in huge letters on the front. 

Total fashion faux pas people. 

Might as well mix sports teams or wear Nikes with Under Armour workout gear.  (Who am I kidding? I do that all the time too.)

Luckily, the girls I was with are fellow Furman alums, and we got to talking about how much college gear we owned collectively. 

My friend Mollye let me borrow her Furman blanket and water bottle. I'd packed a Furman baseball cap and I put that on too. Megan had a Furman washcloth that I held up in the picture. 



It was hilarious and ridiculous and nostalgic. 

I know that Mollye and Megan would agree that Furman is not just a place to learn, but to grow as a whole person. We got to be part of a community that lived together, worked together, played together, worshipped together, and grew together. 

The community is what made (makes!) Furman such a special place.  

Brian Habig, the pastor of Downtown Presbyterian Church, asked me once, "What made you decide to plant your flag here at Downtown Pres?" I told him, "Community." 

The friends I made at my DPC and in my community  group are the people that know what I'm going through week in and week out. They're the people I celebrate with. They're the ones I cry with. They pray with and for me. They hold me accountable and encourage me in my walk with The Lord. It's a lot like the feeling of belonging I had at Furman. And I am growing in my faith because of it. 

How fitting that the Sunday I became a member, Brian charged new members with two things. He told us to take off our visitor's hats - we were officially in charge of serving and making others feel welcome. And second, he challenged us to find a community group - to dig in and get real and let others know the real "us." 

And the beautiful thing - the most humbling and astounding thing- is that the church, made up of broken and sinful people just like me, is but a poor reflection of the perfect and unbroken community we will have in heaven. 

As believers, Jesus paid our price to attend the banqueting table of God. I can't wait for that party!!

Now I know:
We need to design some DPC sweatshirts. Whaddya think Molls and Meg?? 

Ps: Special thanks to little Morgan for finding this infamous pic!!!