To take you back for just a second: S and I, for as long as we have been together, want to move to Colorado. We started visiting there every year in hopes of finding a great deal or just in dreaming that we would one day be there. A couple of years ago, while we were trying to sell one house and buy other, we took our trip up there. We were so upset with how the selling of our house was going, that we were ready to move up there right then! One night in our hotel room, we both sat on the bed reading our new Bibles and really seeking Christ and what He wanted us to do. Both of us turned to each other (at the same time almost) and said that we knew God was leading us to be out there and to eventually start a church one day, but that now was not the time. We were upset, but relieved that we were at least on the right track.
Well, needless to say, that time has still not arrived. Much has gone on since then, though, that is so great and awesome it's so hard to contain it! Well, most of you know we left our church that we had been going to for about 5-7 years. We knew that God was telling us to leave and we had specific things placed on both of our hearts that we knew He was wanting us to have in a church. So, instead of looking for a church closer to home or anything like that, we decided to have a church/Bible study in our house based on what we felt God was showing us. That didn't last for long so we started to look for a church around here. As we were looking, I told S that I felt that God was having us go through this time to learn about churches (how they run and stuff like that), but also for us to learn more about Him and what He wanted us to do. I fully believed that then and now! :) Anyway, we kept coming back to this one church that we now call home-Westgate Community Friends Church! They are the most loving bunch of people that we have ever met! Their hearts of on fire for God and they love to do things for others! That is such a passion for us both, that we were naturally attracted to that. So, now that you know a little of the background, I can get on with the most exciting part! ;)
When we started going to Westgate, we said that we didn't want to get involved with anything. We were tired of having to set up and tear down worship sets and everything that came along with a small church. Well, that was definitely not God's plan! Since we have been at the church, we jumped right in with our water to the homeless ministry and the adopt-a-family ministry that we did at The Summit, both S and I are now singing in the Worship team, S has been asked to deliver a sermon in October while our pastor is gone, we have both been plugged into men's and women's bible studies, and now S will be going into leadership training to be an elder and I will be learning some of the ins/outs of a church and the things that go along with that. So many great blessings and learning abilities have come since we were obedient to God, it's just amazing! :)
That obedience lesson is one that I have been dealing with the last few days! It's been emotional (good and bad) but it's been a ride I'm glad to take. See, right before the women's bible study took off, I purchased a devotional book for myself on David (by Beth Moore). My goal is to be with the Lord every afternoon after my kids go down for a nap and I would do this along with that. I started doing that, but of course, as things tend to go with kids, I didn't get to it everyday. Well, our women's bible study started up last Tuesday night and we are doing a video/bible study with Beth Moore. Let me just tell you, she is great! :) Anyway, this study is about our purpose and what is God's purpose for our life! So far we have learned that we were planned and thought our thoroughly by God to be here for our generation! I have learned so much about this in the last two weeks I couldn't even begin to tell it all to you.
One of the things we learned last night was that even our trials are planned and thought out by God and have a great purpose in our lives! Which brings me to what realization I came to yesterday and today and am so excited about! I know, this was alot of writing just to get to the point! ;) A few days ago, my Dr.'s office called me and told me to make an appointment for 6 weeks from now and to be on a strict diet until then b/c my Cholesterol is still higher than they would like to see. Well, needless to say, I was devastated! I've been working out and eating healthier more than I have ever done in my entire life! I didn't understand. Well, that evening when I was driving to the bookstore for cookbooks on this particular diet, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. I then realized this was an answer to a couple of my prayers. I had been praying for help in being more consistant with eating right and not going out as much, and then for finances b/c since we were going out a couple times a week we were struggling. Well, I chuckled b/c there was proof that prayers are answered just not always as we think they should or would be. ;) Anyway, I understood and said that I was going to stick to this diet for the next 6 weeks and get my numbers down. Well, a few days into this diet, I'm struggling. Today I was totally looking forward to journaling and telling God that I was giving up on this diet. Well, I started out with my David study and learned about obedience to God thru the book of 1Samuel. The passage I was reading was about Saul going into battle and Samuel telling him (as a message from God), to wait until he got to him before he made any sacrifices. Well, Saul waited 7 days and during those 7 days he saw a ton of his men being defeated. He couldn't wait anymore for Samuel, so he did the sacrifices without him. Samuel ended up showing up after he started and told him since he didn't listen to God that we was going to loose his kingdom and a new king was going to take his place. Of course, I immediately thought of my situation and thought about that day when I realized this diet and stuff was an answer to a prayer and a task ask of me by God. I felt awful! I knew right then and there that I had to stay on this diet! I had to stop thinking about it like it was a hindrance to the lifestyle that I live now and think of it as a task that God has asked of me to do! This is something that most people will not see my faith in Christ from the works that I do, but it will be something that God see's the obedience in me (and the faith I have in Him) when He asks something of me! The blood test results, even though they were devastating, were planned by God for a purpose. Right now, I believe that purpose is to get me healthier and answer those prayers that were prayed. But, who knows, the purpose could be so much greater than that and I just won't know that until it happens!
I also realized yesterday, as I was journaling about all the blessings and opportunities that being at Westgate has brought us (by God of course), that we really are in a learning process right now! I tend to loose sight of that thought I had a while back b/c of our humanly instincts to want things right away. I sometimes think that we will never make it to Colorado b/c it always seems so far away. Realizing that we are both learning so much and also realizing that I'm more on fire for God than I have ever been, make me think that we are just fine where were are right now. We were planned to be here, we are here for a purpose, and when it is our time to leave (even if it's not to Colorado), when it is God's time we will be there. Now don't get me wrong, both S and I still feel like we will be in Colorado someday (and we still REALLY want to be there), but I have now come to realize that it doesn't matter where we are as long as we are serving Christ and being obedient to HIM!
Sorry for such a lengthy blog, I just couldn't imagine telling it without telling all of it. ;) I also want all of you to know that I don't consider just the things at the church a blessing. I love each and every one of my family and friends! You all are such a big part of my life, and some of you have been such a big part of my walk with Christ! Thank you for all the love and support I get from all of you and know that I love, support, and pray for you always!
