June 1997, Fort Caswell. While I don't remember the exact date in June, I do remember that I was saved. I remember being so excited about my decision to follow Christ. My every thought and conversation seemed to center around my decision, my dedication to serving God, and my want of discipleship in winning souls over to Christ. Most everyone can remember, even if not the exact day, when you were saved. It's a time of your life that you notice a change in yourself and your heart and the excitement you transferred to others in your conversations soon after are memorable.
Everyone remembers the day they got engaged as well. All you can think about is the ring, the dress, the date. All you find yourself talking about is that special day and about all the details that surround it. It's probably a good thing that Pinterest hadn't been thought of when I started my planning or the conversations would have been grander, more frivolous, and definitely more detail oriented.
Then there is the day you find out you are going to become a Mother. The excitement is such that you cannot keep the secret much longer. Once you tell everyone about the miracle you will be welcoming into the world, it's the center of most every conversation. After the baby is born, the swooning conversations continue, conversations of both wanted and unwanted parenting advice, and the ever so frequent "mom" chats where ideas, tears, and laughs are traded amongst other mommy friends.
Those are two of my most recent "life" events that I remember being so caught up in, so engaged in conversation about. Such enormous ideas, that the conversations about them continued for months and even years after.
This week has been comparable to those days in my life. Comparable to the day I was saved in June of 1997, comparable to the day I married my best friend, and comparable to the day I gave birth to my daughter. It was this week, that I learned a lesson in faith, prayer, and healing.
Today when I woke up, the first thing I did before my feet even touched the floor, was thank the Lord. Today, instead of getting up to go have a surgery that I so desperately wanted to avoid, I was able to go to work and avoid the doctor's office, hospital, and weeks of recovery. I was able to wake this morning with a hope of one day having another child and not struggling with the infertility left by having an ovary removed from my body. I was able to smile and laugh instead of weep and worry. I was able to pick my child up from school instead of make arrangements for someone to keep her while I was recuperating. I knew that today would be a good day because the Lord heard my prayer and he answered. He took away, completely, the mass that was just in my body two weeks ago. He took away the need for surgery and renewed my strength, my spirit, and my faith. He gave me a new story to tell and a new conversation to share in excitement. I would apologize to anyone who crosses my path in next several weeks, months, and maybe years because I will be bragging but I can't apologize this time because I'll be bragging on my Lord and what he's done for me!
The Lord has been good to my family this week, and everyone I come into contact with, I want to share my story with! Not for my glory, but for his. The Lord has truly built my testimony through the past month and has created a more solid faith in which I can stand on. I have a new burden on my heart for those who are lost and without him. I want them to know the comfort I have felt the past month, the peace I have had, the hand that I have held.
I can't thank him enough for what he's doing in my life, my family, and my heart. He alone is worthy to be praised.
Everyone remembers the day they got engaged as well. All you can think about is the ring, the dress, the date. All you find yourself talking about is that special day and about all the details that surround it. It's probably a good thing that Pinterest hadn't been thought of when I started my planning or the conversations would have been grander, more frivolous, and definitely more detail oriented.
Then there is the day you find out you are going to become a Mother. The excitement is such that you cannot keep the secret much longer. Once you tell everyone about the miracle you will be welcoming into the world, it's the center of most every conversation. After the baby is born, the swooning conversations continue, conversations of both wanted and unwanted parenting advice, and the ever so frequent "mom" chats where ideas, tears, and laughs are traded amongst other mommy friends.
Those are two of my most recent "life" events that I remember being so caught up in, so engaged in conversation about. Such enormous ideas, that the conversations about them continued for months and even years after.
This week has been comparable to those days in my life. Comparable to the day I was saved in June of 1997, comparable to the day I married my best friend, and comparable to the day I gave birth to my daughter. It was this week, that I learned a lesson in faith, prayer, and healing.
Today when I woke up, the first thing I did before my feet even touched the floor, was thank the Lord. Today, instead of getting up to go have a surgery that I so desperately wanted to avoid, I was able to go to work and avoid the doctor's office, hospital, and weeks of recovery. I was able to wake this morning with a hope of one day having another child and not struggling with the infertility left by having an ovary removed from my body. I was able to smile and laugh instead of weep and worry. I was able to pick my child up from school instead of make arrangements for someone to keep her while I was recuperating. I knew that today would be a good day because the Lord heard my prayer and he answered. He took away, completely, the mass that was just in my body two weeks ago. He took away the need for surgery and renewed my strength, my spirit, and my faith. He gave me a new story to tell and a new conversation to share in excitement. I would apologize to anyone who crosses my path in next several weeks, months, and maybe years because I will be bragging but I can't apologize this time because I'll be bragging on my Lord and what he's done for me!
The Lord has been good to my family this week, and everyone I come into contact with, I want to share my story with! Not for my glory, but for his. The Lord has truly built my testimony through the past month and has created a more solid faith in which I can stand on. I have a new burden on my heart for those who are lost and without him. I want them to know the comfort I have felt the past month, the peace I have had, the hand that I have held.
I can't thank him enough for what he's doing in my life, my family, and my heart. He alone is worthy to be praised.