Long Time...no talk to!
Before you say anything...I know...I know! It's been a long time and I pledge here and now to be more proactive about posting. What can I say life just calls sometimes and it's called a lot here lately so the little bit of time I actually have on the computer goes to stuff like bills, email, Summer Break Out (our church's version of VBS) and MOPS (Mother of PreSchoolers).
Anyway, we are doing a sermon series at our church right now entitled "Dave" and it's on the life of David. Let me first say that Tim Howey and all of the staff at Grace Church are amazing. This series has really touched my heart. It has also brought to my attention the fact that we are not perfect. I know that may come as a shock to some of you, especially when it comes to thinking of me but it's true, I AM NOT PERFECT. The good news is though that even the person that the Bible refers to as "a man after God's own heart" wasn't perfect either! Going through this series has really brought my mind back to thinking of when I first gave my life to Christ. The timing in my life, the circumstances, everything all part of a bigger picture with a bigger purpose.
I have also recently listened to the words to a song by Third Day called "Mountain of God" and there is a part that says, "I thought that I was all alone, broken and afraid but you were there with me, always there with me. And I didn't even know that I had lost my way but you were there with me, always there with me...Even though the journey's long and I know the road is hard, you're the one who's gone before me, you will help me carry on. And after all that I've been through, now I realize the truth, that I MUST go through the valley to stand upon the Mountain of God!" Isn't that GREAT!
So much of this has led me to the point of wanting to share my testimony with you all. You see, I too didn't know that I had lost my way. I was a pretty good person. I never got into trouble, I never drank or did drugs or anything crazy like that and I thought that was good enough. It was only the bad people that really NEEDED God.
A lady that I worked with, Sherrie Lester, invited me to church with her. I was freshly out of high school and never wanted to hurt any body's feelings so I agreed to go...Once, that was it, ONCE! Thank God Sherrie quickly figured out that the key to my heart is children. So, she knew that if her girls asked me to go, I'd go. The girls kept asking and I kept going. Finally, on Father's Day of 1995, there I sat in Lake Shore United Methodist Church...listening, just listening.
Pastor Frank Seghers gave a real "to the point" sermon to all the fathers in the congregation. He explained to them that it was their job - their God given command - to be a Father! And not just any Father...a Daddy. My mom always used to say that any man can be a Father but it takes a real man to be a Daddy! I sat there in that pew in all my bitterness towards my own absentee father and wanted to shout out, "Amen Pastor Frank...you give it to 'em, you tell 'em!" Then that wonderful man said the words that to this day I will never forget. I'll give them to you in my translation because this is what I heard that day, the words God placed on my heart, whether or not they were the exact words that came out of my beloved pastor's mouth or not. He said, "For all of you out there with no father or with the one's that aren't answering their calling, it's time for you to suck it up! YOU are a child of God! He loves you and He can fulfill all your spiritual and physical needs if you will only trust Him!"
Did I hear that right? Me, a child of God? But what if He knew the real me, would He turn away? Did He really care about me? Want a relationship with me? I cried out to Him that very day and do you know what happened then? God ran to ME, yes ME! He embraced me and whispered in my ear the words I had longed to hear...I love you and I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU!
So, my question to you is this...have you answered His call? Are you listening to the words that the almighty God wants you to hear from a friend, a pastor, a blog? He loves you and take my word for it, He will fulfill EVERY need if you trust Him, if you truly take it all to the cross and leave it there. I hope you all have already found your way there but if not, talk to Him, seek Him out, He's been reaching for you a long time!
Peace Out!
Before you say anything...I know...I know! It's been a long time and I pledge here and now to be more proactive about posting. What can I say life just calls sometimes and it's called a lot here lately so the little bit of time I actually have on the computer goes to stuff like bills, email, Summer Break Out (our church's version of VBS) and MOPS (Mother of PreSchoolers).
Anyway, we are doing a sermon series at our church right now entitled "Dave" and it's on the life of David. Let me first say that Tim Howey and all of the staff at Grace Church are amazing. This series has really touched my heart. It has also brought to my attention the fact that we are not perfect. I know that may come as a shock to some of you, especially when it comes to thinking of me but it's true, I AM NOT PERFECT. The good news is though that even the person that the Bible refers to as "a man after God's own heart" wasn't perfect either! Going through this series has really brought my mind back to thinking of when I first gave my life to Christ. The timing in my life, the circumstances, everything all part of a bigger picture with a bigger purpose.
I have also recently listened to the words to a song by Third Day called "Mountain of God" and there is a part that says, "I thought that I was all alone, broken and afraid but you were there with me, always there with me. And I didn't even know that I had lost my way but you were there with me, always there with me...Even though the journey's long and I know the road is hard, you're the one who's gone before me, you will help me carry on. And after all that I've been through, now I realize the truth, that I MUST go through the valley to stand upon the Mountain of God!" Isn't that GREAT!
So much of this has led me to the point of wanting to share my testimony with you all. You see, I too didn't know that I had lost my way. I was a pretty good person. I never got into trouble, I never drank or did drugs or anything crazy like that and I thought that was good enough. It was only the bad people that really NEEDED God.
A lady that I worked with, Sherrie Lester, invited me to church with her. I was freshly out of high school and never wanted to hurt any body's feelings so I agreed to go...Once, that was it, ONCE! Thank God Sherrie quickly figured out that the key to my heart is children. So, she knew that if her girls asked me to go, I'd go. The girls kept asking and I kept going. Finally, on Father's Day of 1995, there I sat in Lake Shore United Methodist Church...listening, just listening.
Pastor Frank Seghers gave a real "to the point" sermon to all the fathers in the congregation. He explained to them that it was their job - their God given command - to be a Father! And not just any Father...a Daddy. My mom always used to say that any man can be a Father but it takes a real man to be a Daddy! I sat there in that pew in all my bitterness towards my own absentee father and wanted to shout out, "Amen Pastor Frank...you give it to 'em, you tell 'em!" Then that wonderful man said the words that to this day I will never forget. I'll give them to you in my translation because this is what I heard that day, the words God placed on my heart, whether or not they were the exact words that came out of my beloved pastor's mouth or not. He said, "For all of you out there with no father or with the one's that aren't answering their calling, it's time for you to suck it up! YOU are a child of God! He loves you and He can fulfill all your spiritual and physical needs if you will only trust Him!"
Did I hear that right? Me, a child of God? But what if He knew the real me, would He turn away? Did He really care about me? Want a relationship with me? I cried out to Him that very day and do you know what happened then? God ran to ME, yes ME! He embraced me and whispered in my ear the words I had longed to hear...I love you and I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU!
So, my question to you is this...have you answered His call? Are you listening to the words that the almighty God wants you to hear from a friend, a pastor, a blog? He loves you and take my word for it, He will fulfill EVERY need if you trust Him, if you truly take it all to the cross and leave it there. I hope you all have already found your way there but if not, talk to Him, seek Him out, He's been reaching for you a long time!
Peace Out!
posted by Marie at 2:30 PM
2 Comments:
Awesome story Marie! So many of us don't even realize that we've lost our way. Thanks for sharing this!
Love ya Girl!
Cool story! Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment
<< Home