#CoCMidAtlanticII, Day 4

Well well well. We come to day 4 of the trip and when looking at the itinerary for this day I was like, “bruh”. It seemed like it was solely traveling from place to place and I even questioned what I would enjoy/write about. I thought to myself, “Could I not have written about a more aesthetic day?? I wish I could’ve written about the tulip gardens.”

But in that moment the Lord touched me to “do all things without murmurings and reasonings” Philippians 2:14, and I called on the Lord. He refreshed me and wow- what a marvelous day I had.

Leaving North Carolina meant saying goodbye to the wonderful people who fed me, housed me, prayed with me, and loved me with the love of God. I felt so happy to be in the Body.

Then, it was time to drive to Virginia. Immediately a sister asked if I wanted to sing with her and we proceeded to sing hymns one after the other, ukelele on 100, and before we knew it, we had sang for an hour of the drive. Through this time I became aware of how close I grew to this sister just by singing with her. I actively felt us being built up into one another and I became grateful for the 2’s and 3’s - those precious moments where the Lord feels so alive in my spirit when I’m with other members of the Body.

The believers in Virginia welcomed us with open arms and food. We hit a coffee spot owned by a believer in the Church in Virginia and then went on to Belle Isle to gaze upon some water rapids. It was here again where I remembered the Hymn “Jesus Christ the Rock Smitten” and I sang again! With even more sisters this time as we walked along water rushing through large rocks, forming a powerful stream.

That must be what my spirit looks like when I enjoy the Lord. A rapid flow of Living Water with the rocks (believers ~ Matthew 16:18), amping up the speed of the current as we spend time with one another in the Lord. Ultimately building up the Church, the Bride of Christ. What a splendid church life I get to experience.

—Ale N. 🌊

After some sweet singing to the Lord at a sister’s home in Durham, we drove to Richmond, Virginia, where we were graciously greeted with lunch by the saints.

We ate lunch with several working, serving, and student ones at a house owned by the church and used for the campus work. A dear brother had purchased the house years ago and indicated in his will that the saints should use the property for the Lord’s move. What a sweet testimony of wisdom and faithfulness to the Lord and His Body.

In the evening, the church in Charlottesville received us for dinner and fellowship with the college students. Here too, the house meeting hall of the church bore a sweet-smelling savor to God.

In following the Lord to Charlottesville, a brother purchased a house for his personal residence, in which the church in Charlottesville now gathers for the Wednesday college meetings and other church gatherings. Since he is migrating to another locality, he leaves the property for the saints to use.

Throughout this trip we have been going through a ministry book based on the Apostle Paul’s prayers in Ephesians. I was impressed that Paul prays that we may see “the riches of the glory of His inheritance.” I often consider and thank God for the abundant inheritance I have received in Him—the all-inclusive Christ.

Yet I realized that God also has an inheritance in the saints. He inherits the indwelling Christ who has been mingled with us. To care for God’s inheritance is to allow the indwelling Christ to grow and be mingled with us. Eventually this mingled Christ has an expression—hence, the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

—Nathan C.