Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. - Isaiah 43:18-19
This weekend is symbolic of freedom. Tomorrow we will remember those who have given their lives in order for our country and it's citizens to experience the freedoms and rights that we hold today. We see flags raised proudly, service men and women standing at attention, and people paying respects at memorials and services. As we see and experience all of these things, the word freedom resonates profoundly.
It's ironic that this weekend contains a theme of freedom because I too have experienced today a freedom unlike none I have ever had. God shows up just when you need him to. I smile as I type that, because it amazes me what he can reveal to us when we are obedient in listening.
A little background before I get further in this post....Church has been a part of my life always. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher, my daddy was a deacon, most of family have always been involved in church in one way or another. My parents raised me in a Christian home. I always went. Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, bible school, anytime the doors were open, we were usually there. I was saved at Camp Caswell in 1998 and gave my life to Christ. My Pa baptized me and I remember him giving me a book about being a new Christian. I remember reading that book over and over and had such zeal in sharing my new found love of Jesus. Time passed, and I went to high school and then college. I backslid in my previous zeal. I still loved the Lord but I wasn't as motivated to share it. I moved out soon after graduating because I wanted to "do life" on my own. I wanted freedom. That freedom of being on my own meant no one "made" me go to church anymore. No one yelled at me as I laid in the bed "Courtney, you have 30 minutes before church starts. If you don't get up you're grounded." I went, but reluctantly at times. Time passed and I went on Sunday mornings but that was the extent of "church" for me. When William and I got married we attended the church I had always attended. We were involved. When Camdyn was a little over one year old, we left that church. It was a very trying time for us both, but I had spent my entire life at that church and the hurt was almost unbearable. It wasn't a healthy place for my family, and while hard, it was a decision we had to make. I wasn't willing to have my child experience that hurt. From there, we visited around at several different places, and even "visited" at one church close to two years. I kept waiting to hear from God about joining but he never lead us in that direction.
Then my sweet granny became sick last year, and I had taken a sabbatical from church several Sundays in order to help take care of her or sit with her on Sundays. The last year has been a struggle emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Our search began again shortly after Granny's passing. I prayed that God would lead us where we needed to be and that he would guide us and show us what he wanted for us. One Sunday, we got in the car with plans to attend a church and somehow our vehicle drove us a different direction. We did visit a few other places in between but kept coming back to the one we started with, Maple Springs Baptist Church.
I knew something felt different the first time we visited, but I wasn't ready to admit that maybe God was showing us something there. I remember one Sunday two weeks ago, I was sitting in the pew, and felt something come over me I cannot explain in words. I scribbled a note on a piece of paper and slid it over for William to read...I still have it in my bible. It said "I think this may be where God wants us. I feel really strongly about this." I had never felt so spiritually "fed" anywhere I'd ever attended church. I had been so spiritually hungry, for years, and didn't realize it until sitting in that pew each week at Maple Springs. We continued to discuss it and talk about it off and on and while God was speaking to me, I still wasn't ready to jump in just yet.
It wasn't until this morning that God would reveal his final "nudging" if you will. It wasn't until I heard the message clearly this morning that I knew without a shadow of a doubt, we were exactly where we were meant to be. I think God works that way sometimes. He begins to nudge you and convict you. Sometimes we are reluctant to truly hear what he is trying to tell us or maybe we take the message he is giving us and translate it to mean something different. But this morning during the preacher's sermon, he said that until you let go of past hurt and trouble, you can't experience what God has in store for you for the future. DING DING DING. Picture big red arrows pointing in all directions. Huge banners falling from the sky. Light bulbs going off everywhere.
Just like that, it was done. I knew what I needed to know. I knew what God wanted for our family. I finally realized what God was trying to say. I think that was his final way of saying it. I'm sure he was getting aggravated at me by this time! :) "Okay guys...I'll try this one more time" is what I picture him thinking. In order to experience the fullness of his plan for us, we had to let go of the hurt we held on to from before. We had to stop being on guard and trust in people and a church again. Until we let go of the hurt, we will never be able to join a new church because of the worry and fear of being hurt again.
We came home, discussed it, and while we never really said we planned to join tonight, I knew we would. I looked at William during the invitation, and we went. I cannot explain the freedom that came with that message this morning or the freedom I felt as I walked the aisle to the front of the church. Freedom in being able to worship again. Freedom of letting go of the past completely in order to experience my future. Freedom to have my family in a loving and supportive church.
Some will say, why post all of this? Who cares if you joined a church? I post this because I know there are so many people who have been "church hurt". I know there are some who are searching for a church family but cannot because of the hurt they felt before. I know some of these people personally, but I know there are probably others out there. I want you to know, there are churches that have open arms. There are churches where hardened hearts do not reside. There are churches that have good and kind people in them that will welcome you with open arms. But most of all, I want you to know, that if you will let go and let God, the freedom you will experience is nothing short of amazing.
So, on this Memorial Day weekend, I will celebrate the freedoms that so many service men and women have given me but I will also celebrate the freedom that God has bestowed upon me and the joy and happiness he has filled my heart with. I thank him for guiding us to Maple Springs Baptist Church and allowing us to serve him. I have never been more excited about what the future holds for me and my sweet little family.
It's ironic that this weekend contains a theme of freedom because I too have experienced today a freedom unlike none I have ever had. God shows up just when you need him to. I smile as I type that, because it amazes me what he can reveal to us when we are obedient in listening.
A little background before I get further in this post....Church has been a part of my life always. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher, my daddy was a deacon, most of family have always been involved in church in one way or another. My parents raised me in a Christian home. I always went. Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, bible school, anytime the doors were open, we were usually there. I was saved at Camp Caswell in 1998 and gave my life to Christ. My Pa baptized me and I remember him giving me a book about being a new Christian. I remember reading that book over and over and had such zeal in sharing my new found love of Jesus. Time passed, and I went to high school and then college. I backslid in my previous zeal. I still loved the Lord but I wasn't as motivated to share it. I moved out soon after graduating because I wanted to "do life" on my own. I wanted freedom. That freedom of being on my own meant no one "made" me go to church anymore. No one yelled at me as I laid in the bed "Courtney, you have 30 minutes before church starts. If you don't get up you're grounded." I went, but reluctantly at times. Time passed and I went on Sunday mornings but that was the extent of "church" for me. When William and I got married we attended the church I had always attended. We were involved. When Camdyn was a little over one year old, we left that church. It was a very trying time for us both, but I had spent my entire life at that church and the hurt was almost unbearable. It wasn't a healthy place for my family, and while hard, it was a decision we had to make. I wasn't willing to have my child experience that hurt. From there, we visited around at several different places, and even "visited" at one church close to two years. I kept waiting to hear from God about joining but he never lead us in that direction.
Then my sweet granny became sick last year, and I had taken a sabbatical from church several Sundays in order to help take care of her or sit with her on Sundays. The last year has been a struggle emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Our search began again shortly after Granny's passing. I prayed that God would lead us where we needed to be and that he would guide us and show us what he wanted for us. One Sunday, we got in the car with plans to attend a church and somehow our vehicle drove us a different direction. We did visit a few other places in between but kept coming back to the one we started with, Maple Springs Baptist Church.
I knew something felt different the first time we visited, but I wasn't ready to admit that maybe God was showing us something there. I remember one Sunday two weeks ago, I was sitting in the pew, and felt something come over me I cannot explain in words. I scribbled a note on a piece of paper and slid it over for William to read...I still have it in my bible. It said "I think this may be where God wants us. I feel really strongly about this." I had never felt so spiritually "fed" anywhere I'd ever attended church. I had been so spiritually hungry, for years, and didn't realize it until sitting in that pew each week at Maple Springs. We continued to discuss it and talk about it off and on and while God was speaking to me, I still wasn't ready to jump in just yet.
It wasn't until this morning that God would reveal his final "nudging" if you will. It wasn't until I heard the message clearly this morning that I knew without a shadow of a doubt, we were exactly where we were meant to be. I think God works that way sometimes. He begins to nudge you and convict you. Sometimes we are reluctant to truly hear what he is trying to tell us or maybe we take the message he is giving us and translate it to mean something different. But this morning during the preacher's sermon, he said that until you let go of past hurt and trouble, you can't experience what God has in store for you for the future. DING DING DING. Picture big red arrows pointing in all directions. Huge banners falling from the sky. Light bulbs going off everywhere.
Just like that, it was done. I knew what I needed to know. I knew what God wanted for our family. I finally realized what God was trying to say. I think that was his final way of saying it. I'm sure he was getting aggravated at me by this time! :) "Okay guys...I'll try this one more time" is what I picture him thinking. In order to experience the fullness of his plan for us, we had to let go of the hurt we held on to from before. We had to stop being on guard and trust in people and a church again. Until we let go of the hurt, we will never be able to join a new church because of the worry and fear of being hurt again.
We came home, discussed it, and while we never really said we planned to join tonight, I knew we would. I looked at William during the invitation, and we went. I cannot explain the freedom that came with that message this morning or the freedom I felt as I walked the aisle to the front of the church. Freedom in being able to worship again. Freedom of letting go of the past completely in order to experience my future. Freedom to have my family in a loving and supportive church.
Some will say, why post all of this? Who cares if you joined a church? I post this because I know there are so many people who have been "church hurt". I know there are some who are searching for a church family but cannot because of the hurt they felt before. I know some of these people personally, but I know there are probably others out there. I want you to know, there are churches that have open arms. There are churches where hardened hearts do not reside. There are churches that have good and kind people in them that will welcome you with open arms. But most of all, I want you to know, that if you will let go and let God, the freedom you will experience is nothing short of amazing.
So, on this Memorial Day weekend, I will celebrate the freedoms that so many service men and women have given me but I will also celebrate the freedom that God has bestowed upon me and the joy and happiness he has filled my heart with. I thank him for guiding us to Maple Springs Baptist Church and allowing us to serve him. I have never been more excited about what the future holds for me and my sweet little family.