"Dating the Church"

There is a new book out called Stop Dating the Church. Haven't read it,have picked it up and looked at it, and almost bought it. Josh Harris, also has a blog, and has written another book called;"I Kissed Dating Goodbye." (Although Josh is now married.) (I did take an intentional hiatus from dating a year before I met Bob, my wonderful hubby.)

I said all that as a prelude to my having a date tomorrow, not with my spouse, (although I could use a date with him), but with my new church I will be serving. Needless to say, I do feel my anxiety rising. It is more than a four hour drive to a part of AL I don't know much about, to meet people I don't know, to see the church I haven't seen, the future parsonage that we will leave in, etc. I wonder how they will feel when they see me, and how I will feel when I first see them. I wonder if being a woman will be okay, or what. I wonder if they will like me. You know the old dating questions, but in a different way. Will I like them? Will they like me? Will there be a fit? Will we work/play/worship together well? What will their expectations of me be and mine of them?

I am so ready to meet them, and to see the church, the parsonage, the town.
I have some questions I want to ask, and some I want to ask later. They will probably have some for me also. (What would you ask?) This book; "Making a Good Move", has been helpful.

I am not taking my kids or hubby this visit, so I can concentrate on the first meeting. I'll bring them up the next time, for their look see. Oh and pray for Bob to be able to find a job. So far nothing is opening up. He is a Physician Assistant. So say a prayer.