written last night but can't blog from my phone :(
Feeling excited tonight! Hard to wind down and fall asleep. Excited about the PAST year at ECC, the countless lives changed! The growth that so many of us are striving for just amazes me. People just continue to reach out. I love that it's not about me, yes I said that...It's not about me, or them, it's about creating place for people to come, right where they are in their life to hear and learn about God and Jesus. A place they can see God's love and kindness in action on Sundays but also throughout the week. If you were to meet any of us, any day of the week, I feel confident in saying that you would be treated w/ God's love. It's about letting God use us and form the church family that He wants to form and for us to never say "this is enough"...it's never enough, not until every last soul is safe. SO FREAKING EXCITING to be apart of that! God never had to prove anything to me. He has, but I never deserved it. He's proven to me He never wastes a hurt. In my own life I've experienced hurt and seen how He can use it. But now I'm seeing it through others. How He blesses those w/ pains. How He reaches around them, embraces them tightly and carries them through and says "thank you for being faithful, have another blessing". Just sitting here in awe of this Amazing, loving Father! I'm amazed at how He kindly puts me in my place, and He knows when I feel like I'm losing hope in something and He's like "watch this" and then doesn't something super duper BIG just to remind me of HOW BIG He is! Yep That's my God!
I'm excited for my NOW. The perspective that I've gained, for the love that I am able to feel, I know God doesn't have to "reach down" and comfort someone...He is right there, we can just reach out. I'm excited that I get to Share a relationship w/ God with my spouse and my kids. Something I pray I never take for granted. I'm excited for the compliments I got today that remind me that what I do, does matter and that it is all for God and that it's for His Honor, to Glorify Him! One compliment that made my day is this "I want you to know I think you are brave and strong and I am so amazed at your courage. Your faith is very powerful. Thank you for sharing it." Not tooting my horn....This is all God! I say "use me" and he does. He makes me strong, He gives me courage, He makes me want to shout from a mountain about his love and grace, He designed me to want to share His Good news and my Faith in Him! Makes me thrilled that God shines through Little ol' me....pretty awesome!
I'm so excited for the FUTURE! There is SO much more to come! This is not it! God has plans, BIG plans! I don't care what they are...but I can't wait to see them and I just pray that He will use me and that others will continue to let Him use them and New people will get that same eagerness to serve this AMAZING, LOVING God! Just so excited tonight for everything that has been, is now, and that will be!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
A time to Celebrate
A time to Celebrate!
Well it's been a high emotion week. I think I've experienced more emotions than I can count on two hands ranging from lost hope, anger, love, hurt, proud, scared, peace, renewed hope to elated and more! I have had a extra spiritual week as well as I worked with God to forgive myself for things I have done like turning my back on God, asking Him not to look as I did drugs and whatever else. He so patiently waited for me to come back around so He could show me that He never left me that it was me that left Him. It's sad but true. So I forgave myself for that and MUCH more. And I have so much peace because God forgave me before I even asked him to forgive me. Yep He is THAT amazing!
I had a rough week at work (we all have those) and I just don't know what lies ahead for me there but that too I have handed over to God.
My MIL bought a house 10 houses down from me...yes 10 houses down. And has a disorder called Over Invasiveness caused by lack of respect and boundaries which we will be challenged to fight but hoping there is a cure right away. She will be moving in labor day weekend most likely as long as the inspection goes well.
ANNNNDDDD....drum roll.........Best for last...My husband, Tom made a real decision to follow Christ today!!! Yea that's right! God NEVER gave up on him! And met Tom right where he is, broken, lonely, and lost. Tom didn't have to make himself right in order to accept God, didn't have pretend he had it all together, just sat there as himself, as he is today and invited Jesus into his life. A day I have prayed for since I met Tom (not as constant as I should have been at times). And my church family has been praying for this also. So grateful for a church that created an environment where he liked coming, an environment that was safe for him to say..."I'm just trying to figure things out, I'm not sure what I believe", a church that is made up of broken people trying to create an environment that's safe for ALL those lost, broken, unbelievers, people like me that lost track of God and then felt TOO broken, too ashamed to face God. This church has given me renewed faith, my life back, my God back to me! I can smile and be joyous and have people to celebrate Christ with!! It's just the beginning for Tom BUT this is a NEW beginning, one that will include God and I know God has a plan just fit for him! I am so proud of my husband taking this HUGE leap in faith (it comes easy for some and not so easy for others). So yep! My husband turned his life over to christ today! I am more elated than most of you can imagine!! So flipping excited!
Dear God, my father, thank you for showing me once again that you are SO very present, that you hear prayers, that you answers prayers, and that everything is in YOUR time. Thank you for the gift of seeing you answer So many prayers but especially this one. Thank you for ECC and the people that brought it here and created our vision. Thank you for saving me and for saving Tom and for the many other saved lives this past 1.5 years! Thank you for my beautiful family, and for loving us and meeting us right where we are, regardless how Broken we may be. I love you and thank you for loving us! Thank you for being right here, walking with me everyday. Thank you for knowing what I need better than I do. YOU ARE SO MIGHTY! I am not worthy of you love or the healing you have given me and you give it to me anyway. Here I am Lord, Use me, how and where you want to! I am yours. Thank you! I love you God! Amen!
This a moment to celebrate, celebrate Tom giving into God's will. A time to celebrate God's power, God's strength, God's LOVE! Every life turned over to God is a reason to celebrate!
Well it's been a high emotion week. I think I've experienced more emotions than I can count on two hands ranging from lost hope, anger, love, hurt, proud, scared, peace, renewed hope to elated and more! I have had a extra spiritual week as well as I worked with God to forgive myself for things I have done like turning my back on God, asking Him not to look as I did drugs and whatever else. He so patiently waited for me to come back around so He could show me that He never left me that it was me that left Him. It's sad but true. So I forgave myself for that and MUCH more. And I have so much peace because God forgave me before I even asked him to forgive me. Yep He is THAT amazing!
I had a rough week at work (we all have those) and I just don't know what lies ahead for me there but that too I have handed over to God.
My MIL bought a house 10 houses down from me...yes 10 houses down. And has a disorder called Over Invasiveness caused by lack of respect and boundaries which we will be challenged to fight but hoping there is a cure right away. She will be moving in labor day weekend most likely as long as the inspection goes well.
ANNNNDDDD....drum roll.........Best for last...My husband, Tom made a real decision to follow Christ today!!! Yea that's right! God NEVER gave up on him! And met Tom right where he is, broken, lonely, and lost. Tom didn't have to make himself right in order to accept God, didn't have pretend he had it all together, just sat there as himself, as he is today and invited Jesus into his life. A day I have prayed for since I met Tom (not as constant as I should have been at times). And my church family has been praying for this also. So grateful for a church that created an environment where he liked coming, an environment that was safe for him to say..."I'm just trying to figure things out, I'm not sure what I believe", a church that is made up of broken people trying to create an environment that's safe for ALL those lost, broken, unbelievers, people like me that lost track of God and then felt TOO broken, too ashamed to face God. This church has given me renewed faith, my life back, my God back to me! I can smile and be joyous and have people to celebrate Christ with!! It's just the beginning for Tom BUT this is a NEW beginning, one that will include God and I know God has a plan just fit for him! I am so proud of my husband taking this HUGE leap in faith (it comes easy for some and not so easy for others). So yep! My husband turned his life over to christ today! I am more elated than most of you can imagine!! So flipping excited!
Dear God, my father, thank you for showing me once again that you are SO very present, that you hear prayers, that you answers prayers, and that everything is in YOUR time. Thank you for the gift of seeing you answer So many prayers but especially this one. Thank you for ECC and the people that brought it here and created our vision. Thank you for saving me and for saving Tom and for the many other saved lives this past 1.5 years! Thank you for my beautiful family, and for loving us and meeting us right where we are, regardless how Broken we may be. I love you and thank you for loving us! Thank you for being right here, walking with me everyday. Thank you for knowing what I need better than I do. YOU ARE SO MIGHTY! I am not worthy of you love or the healing you have given me and you give it to me anyway. Here I am Lord, Use me, how and where you want to! I am yours. Thank you! I love you God! Amen!
This a moment to celebrate, celebrate Tom giving into God's will. A time to celebrate God's power, God's strength, God's LOVE! Every life turned over to God is a reason to celebrate!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)