The List

So...I haven't posted in a few days because this weekend was totally busy! It was however, an incredible weekend. I am so excited about all that God has shown me over the past few days that I can hardly contain myself. I'm going to attempt to post a shortened version of everything that has happened... but just know that I couldn't even begin to cover all of the little details that has made this weekend so awesome.

On Thursday night, Spencer and I headed over to Emory to stay the night for an Epilepsy Advocate event on Friday morning. We were asked to speak and share our story to highlight to the Board of Directors for UCB Pharma the Epilepsy Advocate Program. It was a really neat event the some members of the Royal Family of Belgium were in attendance. Spencer and I both got to share how good God is and what He has done in our lives. The exciting thing is that we don't know how our words might have impacted them. We could have made a difference in another part of the world, with our story. Isn't it cool how God works that way? I was already thinking on Friday how we don't always see how God weaves things together in his master plan...a theme that continued throughout the weekend.

On Friday night, I attended a women's conference where the speaker was Angela Thomas. She was at Center Hill Baptist Church in Loganville. Those ladies did an outstanding job with the conference. Everything was very nice and everyone in attendance received a doorprize! Isn't that cool? Anyway, Angela was awesome. Her message was about growing up in your salvation. I found it very interesting, because Carol and I had a conversation on Monday about the very same thing. Coincidence? I think not.

Earlier in the week, prior to attending the conference, I had been extremely discouraged about the whole speaking/writing thing. I had cried out to God in frustration that I just didn't know what to do next. I told him that I work better with lists and details and if He would just tell me what to do... I would do it. Well guess what... I got lots of lists from Him this weekend.

Angela began Friday night by giving 4 baby steps to rebuilding the foundation of who God wants you to be. Shorted version of my notes are:
1. Choose God first everyday... sometimes moment to moment.
2. Choose to stop the chaos in your life so you can see Him.
3. Choose to meet consistently with a body of believers.
4. Choose to restore order in your physical home and your physical body.

All areas in which God has been dealing with me by the way.

Whew! Powerful stuff.
She continued on Saturday with yes.. you guessed it... Another list.
She said sometimes you aren't doing something or being blessed in someway because it's just not your turn yet. So... what do you do while you wait for it to be your turn. You try to have a righteous and holy wait and do what you need to do to become who God needs you to be so that when he says "You're Next" you are ready for whatever He has planned for you.

Here are the 6 steps to waiting: (by the way she used John Chapter 15 which just happened to be my devotion for that day! Coincidence... I think not.)
1. Abide in Him
2. Entrust to Him whatever it is that is valuable to you or that you are waiting for.
3. Trust He is able to keep it safe.
4. While you are waiting become the person who is ready to be next.
5. Pray
6. Stand like and oak of righteousness for the display of His splendor. (Isaiah 61)

I really felt after her message that noone else really even needed to be there b/c everything she said directly applied to things I was struggling with. The cool thing is that's the way God works... there were other people there who felt the same way. He could use Angela's situation and circumstances to minister and give answers to a variety of different people in different circumstances than hers. Which leads me to Sunday morning.

Remember the feeling I told you about from Friday's speech...that we can't see all the pieces and how they fit together or their impact on others. Also, from the conference how our stories and struggles are different but can be used to help each other. Well, the service at church highlighted those same sentiments. Two different people shared two different testimonies about God's faithfulness through their struggles. I was thinking about how cool God is to work things out without us knowing how it all fits together... then there was a drama where different people were painting different parts of a picture but none of them individually looked like anything... but when they were all placed together... it made the face of Jesus. It was done to Steven Curtis Chapman song God is God.

Lyrics: God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all For only God is God

Then Larry preached on Acts Chapter 2. He talked about at Pentecost the believers could understand a language that was not their's through the Holy Spirit. Most people use the example of foreign languages to illustrate this point. But, when Larry was speaking, I was thinking of our own individual struggles and stories and how the Holy Spirit lets each of us understand truths about Him and God through interpreting and applying those struggles to our own. My experiences and struggles are not the same as someone else's but God can use them to communicate His truth to someone else.

Then Larry continues with you guessed it... more lists. He talked about that we don't have to live life in our own power and strength b/c we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
1. Guides and gives directions
2. Breaks down barriers
3. Provides power and courage
He also gave a 7 day devotional to follow about the Holy Spirit
1. Psalm 139:7 He is always with you.
2. Psalm 7:9 He will test your heart and mind
3. Exodus 31:3 He will give you the ability to do the things you need to do.
4. Acts 16:6 He will lead you and guide your life
5. Psalm 139:23 He will convict and correct you.
6. John 14:26 He will teach you the truth.
7. I Corinthians 12:7-12 He will give you gifts to help each other.

I knew all of these things already, but it was helpful for me to have them in... you guessed it... A list. God is good!

If you want to see the service from Sunday, you should be able to download or view it here:
http://www.hebronchurch.org/media/media.htm