Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." 

[New King James Version]

When I was 18 or 19 I was living on my own in Kalispell, and started a new job at a great coffee shop downtown on Main Street. The building was originally a bar, but it had moved to a new location. The new owners did a wonderful job renovating and turned it into a beautiful space. There was a big open room upstairs that had a separate entrance that the owners decided to rent out to a new church. At that point in my life I had gone to an ultra conservative (lots of hymns, dressing in "Sunday's Best," etc.) church and a more spiritually led (lots of prophecy, waving banners and flags, dancing, painting on stage, etc.) church. So I was excited to try out something new, and oh boy was I blown away! The pastor spoke straight from the Bible, literally read WHOLE verses and chapters, then gave the history, backstory, and how it related to me in present day! I had never heard a sermon like it. I was interested, taking notes, learning & growing in my relationship with Christ. Seriously it was just so good. So refreshing. Needless to say I started attending regularly. My then boyfriend (now husband) Zach, started playing drums during services. When we got engaged we did marriage counseling through the church, and one of the pastors married us. The church started to grow and grow and grow. We now have six campuses (two locations in Kalispell, and one location in Whitefish, Missoula, Billings & Bozeman) across the state of Montana. You can also watch live online, or view previously recorded sermons. The church believes in being a youth-led movement, which is so awesome to see young ones serve in such huge ways. They have an amazing children's ministry which Penelope loves going to. They started an event called Skull Church. It used to happen every Wednesday, then changed to once a month event, and now it happens even less often, but Zach was asked to play in that band. The name stems from Golgatha, the place of the Skull, where Jesus died on the cross. The music is awesome, the message is always amazing, and many people give their life to Jesus each time - which always chokes me up. Fresh Life Church [www.freshlifechurch.com] has changed my life and I am so grateful that Penelope has a wonderful community she gets to grow up in. Last night we attended "Group" which consists of people from the church getting together and talking about the previous weeks message, hanging out, praying, and sometimes just having a good 'ol game night. I couldn't ask for more awesome people to surround our little one and teach her all about living a Christ-centered life. My hope is that Penelope is able to grow up feeling that she has a great purpose for her life. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11