Pure's 2nd Birthday

Happy Birthday PURE! Can't believe it has already been 2 years!

I started coming to PURE in August of 2008. Ran into an old friend from High School who told me there was free food there before service, so clearly I went! The first 2 weeks I sat in my car until 7:30 when service started, because I was scared if I went in early people would try to talk to me. I had this crazy idea that I could sneak in, sit in the back, sing some songs, hear a message and sneak out without anyone noticing me. Every week when I left there was a friendly face at the door handing out a new series card and thanking me for coming that night. I remember walking back to my car in tears one night, because I couldn't believe how nice everyone was. As you know, most college/young adult groups aren't super successful. They get a lot of hype for a few months, then die quickly when people go back to school. I thought that if I didn't get too attached to PURE, when it fell apart, I would be ready for it. I didn't think I could handle being let down like that again. There was something about PURE that kept drawing me in though. I felt safe, I felt at home, I felt loved. Slowly God started breaking down my walls and allowing me to make connections with people and get involved. I had an outrageous plan for what my time at PURE would look like and God had something very different in mind.

I went from sitting in a chair desperately hoping no one would say a word to me, to now working for PURE. I love that God knows so much better than me. PURE has changed my life. We talk every week about being people of second chances and I am living proof of that. When people ask me what PURE is all about, I tell them my story, to look at my life and see what God did and continues to do in me because of PURE.

The only way I know how to explain PURE is that it has become my whole heart. I am blessed to wake up every morning and come to work. We have an amazing team that we could not do this without each and every week. Looking forward to the next 2 years with PURE and continuing on as passionate world changers. There is no doubt in my mind that God has HUGE things in store for us.