It's Thursday and I'm thankful to serve a God who assures me in so many ways that He's "got this" meaning no matter what I face, God has my back and He proves it in the most creative ways!
Case in point, earlier this week the editor of Collegiate Quarterly (CQ) for whom I used to work for as the Growing Up columnist (for five years), contacted me. She asked me if I could coordinate a week's worth of lessons for CQ Bible Study Guide for Young Adults. This involves finding six writers--one has to be a pastor or trained theologian--and asking them to write one article to be published in CQ. It is a process that usually takes a few weeks, maybe a month. But as soon as I told the editor that I'd be one of her coordinators, I sent out an all-call to everyone I knew and seconds after sending it, I had two writers then one more and before that very hour was over, I had five writers! The first pastor whose name popped in my head was the person I contacted first to write the section for pastors, agreed a few hours later. So in less than 10 hours on the very same day of signing on as a coordinator, I had all of my writers!
Now the amazing aspect of this testimony is that I've been a coordinator for CQ about five times now and never, ever have I gotten all of my writers in ONE DAY!
I believe this was meant to be so I'm glad I said "yes" to being a coordinator again.
After seeing how quickly the process of signing on my writers was, I was encouraged because I realize that God cares about every aspect of my life and He answers prayers before they are even spoken (Isaiah 65:24). I did not know I was going to be asked to be a coordinator that day and I don't think I said a prayer to God to help me find my writers. But God knew this is what I needed and He worked it out for me, moving on the hearts and minds of the people who were to be my writers for this round, in record time!
Essentially, this situation has taught me to trust God with everything and know that He's got this (He covers me with His Providence, Grace and Mercy).
What about you? Do you have a testimony to share? If yes, leave a comment below this message.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
A Guest Post about Love and Open Hearts
Today, I am delighted to share a blog post with you written by our guest, Jennifer Watson.
But before I share the post, I need to share a story.
It’s wonderful how God brings people together to encourage each other on their faith walk with Him. One of those people in my life is Jennifer Watson. We connected about four years ago through her Broken Girl website. After I submitted a few encouraging comments about the posts written by Jennifer and Keri Lynn Bullington (with whom Jennifer co-founded the Broken Girl blog), Jennifer invited me to share my "broken girl story" on her blog. After thinking about it for like a minute, I agreed to share my story because I believe there are people in the world who may be encouraged in their life journey through reading my story about how God turned my broken into beautiful.
So I wrote the guest post, sent it to Jennifer and it was published on Feb. 27, 2012. But our connection did not end with that one guest post, it continued in the form of an encouragement ministry. If I need prayer, I know I can talk to Jennifer who will not only pray but offer words of encouragement that help me in my journey through life. I value the prayer support and encouragement given through the words Jennifer shares with me and the world via the Broken Girl blog which I call a ministry.
I hope you will appreciate and receive encouragement in your journey through life as you read the words from Jennifer’s heart presented in her first guest post for my blog!
~*~
My Adoption Story: When Hearts Break Wide Open
Written by Jennifer Watson
Almost two years ago we welcomed a little boy into our home for four months, we were in the process of adopting him when his mother decided she wanted him back. Those four months were extremely difficult. I wanted the boy, just not all the strings attached and baggage that came from his family fighting us. But love is about welcoming the chaos and opening your heart wide enough for it to break wide-open changing you forever. I watched love change my heart as I loved a stranger like he was flesh and blood, no different from my children.
I was never one to fall in love so easily, but sometimes love is like driving a car fast without any brakes. You brace yourself and hold your breath uncertain of the outcome. What once was invigorating and exciting hits the brick wall of change and you emerge different. The hope is that eventually the whiplash will fade to nothingness and your heart will be mended yet remain wide-open.
Love is bringing in all the baggage and dirty clothes with stains. It's staying up late and rearranging all your space for one more. It's saying, “You belong here, please untidy all the things that I think have to remain in a certain place.”
Love is letting go of your fears of loving someone you might not get to keep and loving so much it hurts in the best possible way. Love wrecks you turning you inside out, it's the furthest thing from selfish and the closest thing to sacred we could ever feel. It's messy and beautiful and worth it. The messy beautiful walk hand-in-hand and sometimes it hurts in ways words can’t express.
People always ask me if I would open my home again and I say yes, a million times, yes. I'll leave the light on for you, little buddy. I'll take your baggage and all your stains because fear doesn't live here, love does. And I'll leave my heart wide-open for my sister who feels like her world and heart has been split wide-open. Come and sit on my couch, you can cry and I'll feed you chocolate. Together we can unpack your baggage, mending the tattered garments of your heart.
In our churches, in our homes, and in our hearts let us leave room for all the broken, baggage carriers because at one time that was us. Let’s love each other enough and help them unpack their baggage. We will never regret loving fiercely and allowing our hearts to split wide-open. Love isn't about counting the costs and being careful; it's about saying it's worth it. Come on, love, wreck me.
Loving the way Jesus does is risky, but with all my heart I believe it’s worth it. Jesus walked this earth with every intention of laying down His life for us, even for the ones who rejected and mocked Him. Laying it all down and living a life of putting others first is risky, but I want to love like that. My heart is full of gratitude for a cross, an empty tomb, and a risky, unending love.
There is room enough in my heart to be wrecked, split wide-open for those in need around me and I want more than anything to stop being so dang careful.
~*~
Author bio: Jennifer Watson is a self-professed girly-girl who is convinced that coloring your hair is addictive. She has an undying affection for refined sugar and red lipstick. She is a mother of two miracle babies and is an out-of-the-box minister’s wife. She loves weaving words together to speak to the hearts of women. You can hang out with Jennifer and her words at the Broken Girl blog.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
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