Moving Sermon

I went to church yesterday with Jon, the guy I am dating, and I was a bit skeptical at first. We attended the 11:11 service at Second Baptist. I had never been to this church before and was taken aback when I saw it as we drove up. This place is huge! It looks like a junior college from the outside and the inside is just as big. I told Jon that I was not going to like it here because it was too big and I liked small, intimate churches better. Yes, I judged based on appearance and I know that I should not do that, but I couldn't help it and was strictly going off of past experiences. So we went in and found a seat and the service began. There was a lot of singing, but it was contemporary music and you weren't forced to join in so that was good. There was a guest minister that day. He was a very good speaker. They were talking about the book of James and how our tongue is the root of all evil, but how we cannot necessarily change it or make it better, but God can. The guest minister told a story about a boy who was born to his mother out of wedlock and he never knew his father. He was called a bastard and never had any friends or playmates. It was a very sad and moving story--I actually cried. When I looked around, though, I was not the only one crying. The minister was actually choking back tears as he was delivering the speech. It was a story of triumph; a true ugly duckling to swan story. I was overcome with emotion and was afriad that I would not be able to stop crying, but Jon comforted me and eventually I got a hold of my emotions. It was a beautiful service. Jon said that the minister at the church was just as good as the guest who spoke. I am looking forward to going again next Sunday.
I wish that some of the people in my life would have been there to hear him explain this section on James. They could have benefited from it as greatly as I did. I am trying hard to not speak badly about or to people. Yes, it is hard, but I realize how badly words can hurt or help someone. It is ironic that my mom hurt me with her words that same day only a few minutes after leaving church. She got angry with me for no reason at all and hung up on me. I have not spoken with her since then. I am still not sure what it was she wanted or why she was so angry. After getting off the phone with her, I just started bawling. I felt bad that Jon had to sit there and witness it, but I had to let it out. I had explained a little bit about the relationship that my mom and I have to him before, but he got to see it first hand. He was amazed and shocked to see that my mom would treat me that way. I just want a mother who loves me because she wants to and not because she has to.