Gò0dNews for Women
These Church Doors
H
by Kelly Wells
ebrews 10:25: “And let us not neglect our meeting
taking things apart and putting them back together again—
together, as some people do, but encourage one
simple: just plain and simple!
another, especially now that the day of his return is
drawing near.”
I no longer had to fight them to get them to come inside to get ready to go to the next practice. I was no longer
I cannot tell you how many times I have walked
stressed out, having chest pains and anxiety, or feeling like
through these church doors with my kids, but what I can
a failure every time I couldn’t compete with the other moms
tell you is what happened once we entered them now that
or my children couldn’t measure up to the other kids. The
they are grown. Every single Sunday and Wednesday, it was
kids came home from school, we went through their school
important that my kids and I were there. These church doors
folder together, and they did homework. The kids went outside to play when all the work was done and didn’t come back in until supper was ready and I called for them. “TIME TO EAT!” We would eat together around the dinner table and talk about our day. The bath time routine would start, and shortly after, the kids would pick a book for a nighttime story, tuck-ins, and cuddle time: just plain and simple! All my time and energy went into my kids and not activities and busyness: peace, sweet peace! Now, back to those church doors. What we found on the inside was love, belonging, and Jesus Christ. It was a new routine! Church was our activity, and growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ took first place. I have made many mistakes in my life, but those church doors
came first! It wasn’t that the doors had anything to do with
were the one thing I got right. Now, when I walk through
anything: they are just doors. I remember how, as a young,
those church doors years later, I see my grown children
first-time mother trying to figure out how to be the best, I
worshiping, using their gifts and talents, and serving the
would look around at other moms and do what they were
Lord. My daughter sings on the worship team, and my son
doing, thinking that I had it all right.
serves on the security team! My son also has a full-time job,
One thing was missing: there were no church doors. The kids were busy in sports and dance classes. We were going this way and that way, passing each other in the
and my daughter is in school and works part time. I am so proud of the young adults they are becoming. I give God all the glory and praise for doing a great
house, rushing out the door, and eating supper while
work in their lives. So, weary young mothers trying to
driving down the road. I don’t think we ever connected
get this mom thing right, when I stopped everything that
because we were always rushing. The only words I think
day and choose those church doors, I think it was the best
my children heard from me were, “Hurry up; we have to
decision I have ever made!
GO! GO! GO! We are going to be Late! Late! Late!” Then, The kids just started playing outside, running around with neighborhood kids, riding bikes, playing in the dirt, and
14 // April 2020
About The Author
one day, I STOPPED! I said to myself, what are we doing?
Kelly Wells is a teacher assistant at Black Fox Elementary School. She attends Heritage Fellowship Church of God in McDonald, TN. Her hobbies include reading, writing and farming. She loves to share her testimony of how God exchanges Ashes for Beauty (Isaiah 61:3). You can contact her for your next ladies event at kellyhixson2@gmail.com.
