The Jesus Gap in New England

I’m a born and raised New England girly, attending church since I was born and connecting in a life with Christ.

A couple months ago, my pastor made a comment about living in New England. It went something like “living as a Christian in New England can be difficult”. If you could have seen my facial expression, I looked like he had spoken in a foreign language. What did he mean “difficult”? It’s my normal, my everyday life, to only know of three to four fellow believers in my high school class. Or to see the girls young adult ministry barely fill up half a room at my university. I have known nothing else. No part of me immediately agreed or honesty understood what he was talking about.

The moment I moved down to Florida, I felt the difference that he must have been referring to. Suddenly, there are churches on every street corner. People will publicly declare their faith, everywhere! Numerous shirts and merchandise proclaiming the love of Jesus, finding multiple coworkers that attend t

Part of me is dreading going back to CT, returning to my old church, singing on stage and guiding others in worship, but lacking that same Spirit I feel when worshipping in a room of many who jump for joy in His Name. So I wonder, is this God directing me to think about moving south to settle down later in life? Maybe he’s using my uncertainty to direct me towards a new church location at home where I feel at home. I obviously have no idea what life will bring, especially with Jesus as my guide, because I clearly can never see right in front of me! Only He knows.

Right now, I simply feel grateful for the fact that I get to experience this different type of culture. I’m curious to see how different living in France will be as far as their Christian community goes! That’s an experience for another season of life!