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Mary
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Belonging to a "life group" has been such a major part of my growth as a person, in my faith, and has helped me to feel very connected in a church as large as Barefoot. Many Hands, One Heart (our group) has been meeting for going on two years now and is comprised of a mish-mash of people. Many life groups form based on age or other common bonds, but One Hearters initially drew people in due to the fact that child-care was available. Dad, Mom, Brandon, and I - though we didn't need childcare - joined so we could belong to a life group with my sister Leslie. Since then we have had people move on, but have had many others join, usually because they knew someone else in the group. We participate in studies, fellowship, and pray for one another. I love every single One Hearter and have been so thankful to come together with them once a week. I cannot count how many times our Thursday nights uplifted me when I truly needed it.
We took some time off around the holidays because of everyone's busier than usual schedule and finally met again last Thursday. Our facilitator, Darrell, presented us with a predicament. He and his wife Angela have extremely busy schedules for the next 6-8 weeks so they gave us a choice of taking an extended break, having someone else facilitate in their absence, or a rotation of people facilitating. We agreed upon a rotation and felt it might be beneficial for us to review the previous weekend's sermon -- this gave everyone at least a jumping off point. When it came time for someone to volunteer for the first week, no-one was saying anything. I began to think maybe I should do it, but was boring a hole in my Dad's head with my eyes hoping he would step up, but he was deep in conversation with Mike. Should I do it? Brandon jabbed me in the leg and said quietly, "You should do it!" Before I knew it my mouth was open and somehow words were coming out saying, "I'll do it."
Gulp.
I always take notes during the weekend message, but as Pastor Lucas Board was preaching, I was also thinking ahead to what we might talk about on Thursday night. The first piece of scripture he used was from Ezekiel 37 and I immediately heard the Casting Crowns' song "Spirit Wind" in my head. This is a song that has captured my imagination and actually pushes me forward in my reading of the Bible - I have very much been anticipating reading the book of Ezekiel in its entirety. I started it one night after my regular reading plan to see what it was all about and thought, "Wow, this is a lot different from the other books I have read". I decided to read the rest of it when I get there.
Now, I am not a Bible scholar and I am definitely not a teacher so I began to search the internet for a lesson on Ezekiel 37 that I could follow and supplement. I found one and typed up the questions for the group and kept the entire study (questions and answers) for myself. Initially I felt that this was going the easy route (cheating), but I have since realized that in this endeavor I am learning too. I am not only learning about this passage of scripture, but about teaching the Word of God, and stepping out of my comfort zone.
As I was preparing everything, Brandon kept commenting on how proud he was of me -- I just kept telling him to be quiet so I could concentrate! After I was done I looked at him and said, "I am so not qualified to do this". He said, "You didn't have to volunteer because I told you to". I said, "I didn't. My mouth just opened up and words started coming out." He then told me what I already knew -- that it was a push from the Holy Spirit.
Laying in bed last night once again I began to think of how I am not qualified to be teaching anything from the Bible. I was nervous, tossing and turning, and wondering if I would get any shut-eye. And then like a lightning bolt, Lucas Board's words from last weekend's message hit me full force. "God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called." Finally I had some peace and was able to get a good night's sleep.
I am still nervous and will be all day, but I have a couple things on my side. These people love me and support me. I am being obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and God will bring the strength, peace, and the words I need for me and and my fellow One Hearters to dive a little deeper and extract a more clear message from His Word.
We took some time off around the holidays because of everyone's busier than usual schedule and finally met again last Thursday. Our facilitator, Darrell, presented us with a predicament. He and his wife Angela have extremely busy schedules for the next 6-8 weeks so they gave us a choice of taking an extended break, having someone else facilitate in their absence, or a rotation of people facilitating. We agreed upon a rotation and felt it might be beneficial for us to review the previous weekend's sermon -- this gave everyone at least a jumping off point. When it came time for someone to volunteer for the first week, no-one was saying anything. I began to think maybe I should do it, but was boring a hole in my Dad's head with my eyes hoping he would step up, but he was deep in conversation with Mike. Should I do it? Brandon jabbed me in the leg and said quietly, "You should do it!" Before I knew it my mouth was open and somehow words were coming out saying, "I'll do it."
Gulp.
I always take notes during the weekend message, but as Pastor Lucas Board was preaching, I was also thinking ahead to what we might talk about on Thursday night. The first piece of scripture he used was from Ezekiel 37 and I immediately heard the Casting Crowns' song "Spirit Wind" in my head. This is a song that has captured my imagination and actually pushes me forward in my reading of the Bible - I have very much been anticipating reading the book of Ezekiel in its entirety. I started it one night after my regular reading plan to see what it was all about and thought, "Wow, this is a lot different from the other books I have read". I decided to read the rest of it when I get there.
Now, I am not a Bible scholar and I am definitely not a teacher so I began to search the internet for a lesson on Ezekiel 37 that I could follow and supplement. I found one and typed up the questions for the group and kept the entire study (questions and answers) for myself. Initially I felt that this was going the easy route (cheating), but I have since realized that in this endeavor I am learning too. I am not only learning about this passage of scripture, but about teaching the Word of God, and stepping out of my comfort zone.
As I was preparing everything, Brandon kept commenting on how proud he was of me -- I just kept telling him to be quiet so I could concentrate! After I was done I looked at him and said, "I am so not qualified to do this". He said, "You didn't have to volunteer because I told you to". I said, "I didn't. My mouth just opened up and words started coming out." He then told me what I already knew -- that it was a push from the Holy Spirit.
Laying in bed last night once again I began to think of how I am not qualified to be teaching anything from the Bible. I was nervous, tossing and turning, and wondering if I would get any shut-eye. And then like a lightning bolt, Lucas Board's words from last weekend's message hit me full force. "God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called." Finally I had some peace and was able to get a good night's sleep.
I am still nervous and will be all day, but I have a couple things on my side. These people love me and support me. I am being obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and God will bring the strength, peace, and the words I need for me and and my fellow One Hearters to dive a little deeper and extract a more clear message from His Word.
But there is a spirit within people,
the breath of the Almighty within them,
the breath of the Almighty within them,
that makes them intelligent. Job 32:8
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Mary
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Living in as many places as I have and no longer being geographically close to many of my friends, I have been a long time advocate and defender of Facebook. Last month, however, there was family member with whom we were trying to reach on the phone. It was frustrating because she would not answer her phone or return missed calls, but I saw that she was constantly on Facebook. I not only felt hurt, but a little self-righteous.....until I took a closer look at my own Facebook usage. The few close friends I do have, I maintain real time or phone time relationships with so I am not guilty of replacing the real connections with Facebook messages. I did realize, however, that I always started my morning logging in to Facebook with my breakfast and morning coffee or tea only to find that time had slipped away from me and I had to start getting ready for work NOW! In my defense, I was not spending all of that time on Facebook, but it would start there and then I would end up googling this that or the other and my morning would slowly be whittled away. I decided to take a break from Facebook to see how much time I would gain in a day and what could be done in that time. I saw a difference in my life almost immediately. Oh, the things that were getting done BEFORE work....it rocked my socks off!! I'd get up, go on a run, unload the dishwasher, scrub the bathroom, fold a load of laundry, and ta-da! The house was staying tip-top with seemingly no effort! With the house taken care of I was finding that I didn't feel like I needed to rush home and so Brandon and I began to hit the gym on a more regular basis. I also found that our time at home together was more "together", even during the times he was playing a video game and I was reading (instead of being on the computer) we were sitting with each other occasionally chatting and definitely snuggling. One of the things I wanted to do more of during what I began to call my "Facebook Fast", was to be in God's Word more. With all the company we had this month and preparing for and enjoying the holidays, this was not accomplished, but I am now poised and ready to dive straight in. I am not sure when I will log back in, but I know that I want to keep living without as much Facebook and more real life. I wasn't spending as much time on Facebook as I know a lot of people do, but even the small amount of time I was could be better spent doing something more worthwhile and I want to keep it that way.
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Mary
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A church out of Wilmington, NC challenged its members in 2010 to choose a word to help shape their coming year instead of making a list of resolutions. I heard about the challenge last year on K-Love and was inspired by the abstract kind of motivation it could unleash in my life. They have a website to help you get started and write about your journey: http://www.myoneword.com/. Last year my word was "bloom" and, as you may have guessed, became the catalyst for me to start my blog. As 2011 drew to a close, I started to think about what my driving word would be for 2012. I noticed immediately that I was feeling pretty protective over the word "bloom" and was upset that I was going to have to trade it in for a new word. "Bloom" really did have a presence in my life throughout the year and it really was the perfect word as I was growing in my new Christian life. I could never have guessed that a single word could have had such a profound impact on me and the person I'm becoming and now I had to replace it! How could another word possibly even measure up?
Noun: 1) a long decisive step 2) a step or stage in progress towards an aim 3) a good or regular rate of progress, especially after a slow or hesitant start
Idioms: Hit one's stride 1) to achieve a regular or steady pace or course 2) to reach the point or level at which one functions most competently and consistently
At first I thought I would spin off of the word "bloom", maybe even pick a flower with a special symbolic meaning. Maybe a word related to gardens or horticulture. It wasn't working. I was frustrated. As I sat still, contemplating my journey in 2011, I eventually began thinking about what I want for myself, my marriage, my health, my career, and my relationship with Christ in 2012. A smile started to spread on my face and I chuckled at myself because I absolutely do need a new word for this year because I did indeed BLOOM! I also realized that I will not be leaving the word behind; it has been firmly planted in my soil and will continue to nourish me in the same way it did last year. I'm not giving up the word, I am just adding another word to help push and propel me to the next level, to help shape me in different ways. "Bloom" was a great foundation -- I can picture it in my mind's eye as a flower (me) basking in the sunshine (the word, the church, my family and friends), learning to unfurl its petals (my faith). Armed with the knowledge that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13), I am ready to MOVE and see where else my faith can take me!
After the epiphany, it was so simple to choose my new word. I have been running again for a couple of months and it was only natural and fitting that I would pull this new gem from running lingo.
Stride
Verb: 1) to walk with long, decisive steps is a specified direction 2) cross (an obstacle) with one long stepNoun: 1) a long decisive step 2) a step or stage in progress towards an aim 3) a good or regular rate of progress, especially after a slow or hesitant start
Idioms: Hit one's stride 1) to achieve a regular or steady pace or course 2) to reach the point or level at which one functions most competently and consistently
Take in stride 1) to deal with calmly; cope with successfully
Excitement for the coming year is positively bursting at the seams of this word and I love the images it conjures up in my head and all the ways I can apply it to the different areas I want to grow and move in. Lists never worked for me; they lacked imagination and, although they were always written with good intentions, were devoid of heart. I love that the one word permeates through everything I do, think and feel, and is an ongoing process and not something you just cross off a list (or fail to cross off a list in many cases). It captures my imagination and helps me to look at myself and my life objectively and ask, "Am I becoming the woman God wants me to be?" I want to live it out like a Casting Crowns song, "And I pray that they will see more of You and less of me. Lord, I want my life to be the song you sing"!!
With the choosing of a word at the beginning of the year, you pair it with a Bible verse that will help guide you. I've been so busy this past month and a half and haven't picked up my Bible nearly as much as I would have liked, but it felt good to really delve in, flip from scripture to scripture, and look up parallel translations on the computer. That's one serious setback to trying to read the Bible straight through from Genesis to Revelation.....I'm still in the Old Testament and very rarely get into the New Testament unless I am in church. I will from time to time feel moved to look at something specific or read a certain book in the New Testament, but not often. I have tried mixed reading plans, but something in me is compelled to read from cover to cover -- plus I don't like having to read at a certain pace like most of the reading plans have you do. The three NT books I have read the most are Romans, Hebrews, and James so I am not surprised that 2012's verse came from one of those books. I knew this year's verse was going to be about endurance (one of the reasons "stride" was my chosen word) because last year was about birth. It's easy to maintain focus when your faith is new and inspiring and the fire of the Holy Spirit is burning fresh within you, but novelty fades and life happens and many people simply give in and fall back into the world. My year's verse is Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." I almost chose James 1:3-4 and Romans 5:3-4, but the Hebrews verse has an added element that has recently become so clear to me through two Casting Crowns songs (Until the Whole World Hears and I Know You're There). I believe so fervently that I am supposed to be planting seeds everywhere I go.
I am thankful to have my word chosen and feel like I was led to it and Hebrews 12:1 for a reason. Next January I am sure that I will be going through the same predicament and I look forward to seeing what this year's harvest yields. I know the coming year will have its ups and its downs and I have some prayers for myself and others that I really want answered, but I am excited to be running into 2012 with my "stride".....sometimes slow and steady and sometimes full steam ahead.
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Mary
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It's three weeks since my last post and I did finally start running again.....yesterday. With good intentions I set my alarm every night for an hour early enough for me to rise and get a run in before the rest of my day started, but I am the queen of procrastination and I love my sleep. Then something very wonderful happened! Now, I have lived here since 2007; I love the beach, but have since grumbled and complained that this area does not have any hiking trails. I had heard of this little place called Vereen Gardens located just a couple of miles from my neighborhood, but always pictured it as a dinky little trail with no ups or downs. In a word: boring. Well, last Friday came and Brandon and I both wanted to shrug off the gym (again), but I wanted to at least do something physical so I suggested with take the dogs for a short jaunt at Vereen Gardens. We loaded the pooches into the car and made our way to Vereens really just expecting a short, quick walk in the fresh air. Oh, my fancy was tickled as we discovered a treasure trove of winding, interconnected, up-and-down dirt trails! Trails-trails-trails!! I couldn't be more excited because I can run forever on trails and not realize how far I have gone. The trails eventually take you to marshy wetlands where they have built bridges for people to walk over. We were getting hungry and still had to make a stop at Wal-Mart so we turned around and headed back to the car with plans to bring our nephew back the next day. Saturday, with nephew and dogs in tow, we went back and crossed the bridges to find the shore of the intracoastal way lined with thousands upon thousands of oyster shells. I have never seen anything like it! Monday came and I think my husband was a little surprised to hear me making plans to hit Vereen Gardens yet again, but without skipping a beat, I put on my iPod, grabbed Kudra and hit the trails a-runnin'. There is nothing like pure nature to remind me of the glory and magnificence of God. There is nothing like being surrounded by forest to remind me of my smallness and how fleeting this life is in the grand scheme of things. It reminds me to stop putting things off until tomorrow. Like Pastor Clay's wife Kim preached at our recent Threads event, "Better get to livin'!" I got turned around a couple of times, but used the light from the setting sun to figure out which direction the Jeep was parked. Eventually I believe I will have the trails figured out and I know I'm going to have an amazing time doing it. It dumbfounds me that I never set out to explore this place, but the Lord knows what we need and when we need it!
"I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours" - Casting Crowns
"I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours" - Casting Crowns
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Mary
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First things, first: Brandon and I both passed our written and practical exams for our personal training certification; we just have to get our CPR certifications and we will be in business. Now.....if we could just get ourselves to the gym more often, we would really be doing good. I cannot tell you how many times we have gotten into the car and headed to the gym IN our workout clothes and have found detours along the way....."We really need to hit the grocery store and we're kind of tired and hungry so....we'll start tomorrow." It feels cheap somehow to be grocery shopping in your workout clothes knowing darn good and well you never made it to the gym (insert sheepish look).
I have a meeting at The Wellness Center our church is partnered with today about providing massage therapy at the center and decided to see if just maybe a couple of the nice pairs of jeans I owned when I met Brandon may be a little closer to fitting. Well, I got one pair out of four buttoned. Boo. If I could lose the extra weight I have been carrying, I not only would feel better and be healthier, but I swear I would gain a really great wardrobe back. I know they say to toss out the clothing items in your closet that don't fit you anymore, but keeping them is incentive, right? Not so far, it appears. Besides, who has the money to buy a whole new wardrobe every time their weight fluctuates? I guess the point is to NOT have your weight fluctuate (insert another sheepish look).
So I have decided....I'm gonna Just Do It. I loved the feeling I had when I ran oh-so-many years ago. And I say it everyday -- tomorrow I'm going to start running again. I have been saying that for too many years and so I have devised a plan. Oh, it's a little scary, but I need something to kick me in the rump and get this thing going. I am registering to run a 5K. Not a lot of mileage, but knowing that date (January 7, 2012) will be looming over me, I am hoping it will help me lace up those sneakers every morning. There, I've said it, maybe accountability is what I really need. A small bit of extrinsic motivation may lead to an abundance of intrinsic motivation. Who's with me? I'm trying to get Brandon and my mom on this train, but if I have to ride the rails alone, I know Christ is in me pushing me right along!!
I have a meeting at The Wellness Center our church is partnered with today about providing massage therapy at the center and decided to see if just maybe a couple of the nice pairs of jeans I owned when I met Brandon may be a little closer to fitting. Well, I got one pair out of four buttoned. Boo. If I could lose the extra weight I have been carrying, I not only would feel better and be healthier, but I swear I would gain a really great wardrobe back. I know they say to toss out the clothing items in your closet that don't fit you anymore, but keeping them is incentive, right? Not so far, it appears. Besides, who has the money to buy a whole new wardrobe every time their weight fluctuates? I guess the point is to NOT have your weight fluctuate (insert another sheepish look).
So I have decided....I'm gonna Just Do It. I loved the feeling I had when I ran oh-so-many years ago. And I say it everyday -- tomorrow I'm going to start running again. I have been saying that for too many years and so I have devised a plan. Oh, it's a little scary, but I need something to kick me in the rump and get this thing going. I am registering to run a 5K. Not a lot of mileage, but knowing that date (January 7, 2012) will be looming over me, I am hoping it will help me lace up those sneakers every morning. There, I've said it, maybe accountability is what I really need. A small bit of extrinsic motivation may lead to an abundance of intrinsic motivation. Who's with me? I'm trying to get Brandon and my mom on this train, but if I have to ride the rails alone, I know Christ is in me pushing me right along!!
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Mary
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It all started as an idea for a potential new career for Brandon. Having worked on a golf course since he was sixteen, he is yearning for something more rewarding, intrinsically as well as financially. I was about to sign him up for a personal training course when my parents suggested I take the class with him, if only to supplement my massage practice in a different way. We studied our little brains out leading up to our weekend course in Charlotte and it paid off because Brandon was answering questions in class left and right like he wasn't the only one in class without a health background. The real magic, however, started happening before we ever arrived in Charlotte. I found myself daydreaming about a wellness center. Owned and operated by the Stephens. We began discussing the possibilities of something bigger than we ever imagined. Brandon and I would pass a building for rent and say, "We could start out in a place like that....." It is exciting, but we're not getting ahead of ourselves. It will be a long road, but one I know we will enjoy together. Because of all the studying we did together, it opened a whole new dimension in our relationship and that in and of itself made it awesome and gives me a glimpse of what would be to come should we embark on this adventure together. Until then, I have already begun to incorporate some of the things I've learned to help my clients with their pain which not only makes me happy, but will also add to my massage practice's success. We are still waiting for the results of our written and practical exams and will be for three to five weeks, but I've got a big smile on my face, a glimmer in my eye, and a dream in my heart. Maybe one day Sacred Willow Massage will be Sacred Willow Wellness. Just maybe!
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Mary
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There are moments in our lives that are so surreal that when they pass, you keep playing them
over and over in your mind, trying to relive them. I had such a moment today. It will be a memory that I will carry with me forever. It is a frozen piece of time that I am sure will be a landmark for how God has worked in my life. It will always be a reminder to keep faith, to fight the good fight, to be still, and to remember that it is God's desire to bless us, His children.
I want to preface this story by telling you about the way I relate with my clients. Very few of my regular clients come in for a massage wtihout sitting down and chatting with me for several minutes before getting on the table and often times will continue sharing thoughts, feelings, and bits of their lives during their session. Because of the relaxed and private nature of a massage session, clients will open up about things they may not ordinarily talk about with others, but feel completely comfortable discussing with me. That being said, it is not a one way street and I have been known to share details about myself to a certain degree. I have found that when the opportunity arises, I love discussing my faith and learning from other Christians who are further in their walk than I am. It is such an amazing feeling when I connect with another Christian and we are able to openly and honestly discuss our love for the Creator and the blessings and/or hardships happening in our lives.
The client I had today had only been to me once before. I remember talking to her at length about her life and a little about mine during her first session, but if faith was discussed it was brief and only in passing. Today she expressed she had been experiencing alot of stress due to a close friend and neighbor's failing health. I set my resolve to help ease the physical and mental manifestations of this stress by maintaining a quiet session and pouring my focus and loving intent into my movements and energy. I called on the Lord to use me as a vessel to heal her from the inside out. When our session was over, I stepped out so she could gather herself and then she visited the restroom. I was changing the sheets when she re-entered the room and I started asking her about some volunteer work she does at a local nursing home.
After a few moments she said, "I need to share something with you. The Lord spoke to me during my massage and I have a message to give to you." I closed the door for privacy and sat down on the edge of my massage table. "When I walked in today and looked at your face, I saw calm, serenity and peace. I saw it coming from your eyes and in the air around you." At this point she stood up from the chair she was sitting in and placed her hands on the sides of my head at my temples and said, "You are blessed among women. Your calm, serenity, and peace bless those around you. You bring people many blessings and those blessings will be returned to you. The Lord wants you to know that you are right where you need to be and that blessings are coming soon." She continued in this vein for a few more moments while my eyes were closed, but filling with tears. When she was done I thanked her, told her I was grateful for the message and disclosed to her that Brandon and I had been trying for a child for a while now. Her arms flew in the air, she gasped and said, "I just got chills. Just remember, blessings are coming." We spoke briefly about faith and then chit-chatted about other things as she sipped her water and then I walked her to the door and said goodbye.
It has been almost a year and a half of trying to conceive and although I still have faith the Lord will bless us with a child, some days are harder than others. Things have been changing at home, for the better, and I have felt a new wind sweeping into our lives. A wind that feels like it is bringing something new, something sweet, something worth waiting for. I am home and about to continue laundry and make dinner, but I can barely stand still or keep the smile off of my face because my heart might just burst with all the praise I have for my Lord and everything He is doing in my life. I truly believe the Lord spoke to me through this woman because He loves me and, like a true father, was letting me know in His own way and whispering for me to keep my faith.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7
over and over in your mind, trying to relive them. I had such a moment today. It will be a memory that I will carry with me forever. It is a frozen piece of time that I am sure will be a landmark for how God has worked in my life. It will always be a reminder to keep faith, to fight the good fight, to be still, and to remember that it is God's desire to bless us, His children.
I want to preface this story by telling you about the way I relate with my clients. Very few of my regular clients come in for a massage wtihout sitting down and chatting with me for several minutes before getting on the table and often times will continue sharing thoughts, feelings, and bits of their lives during their session. Because of the relaxed and private nature of a massage session, clients will open up about things they may not ordinarily talk about with others, but feel completely comfortable discussing with me. That being said, it is not a one way street and I have been known to share details about myself to a certain degree. I have found that when the opportunity arises, I love discussing my faith and learning from other Christians who are further in their walk than I am. It is such an amazing feeling when I connect with another Christian and we are able to openly and honestly discuss our love for the Creator and the blessings and/or hardships happening in our lives.
The client I had today had only been to me once before. I remember talking to her at length about her life and a little about mine during her first session, but if faith was discussed it was brief and only in passing. Today she expressed she had been experiencing alot of stress due to a close friend and neighbor's failing health. I set my resolve to help ease the physical and mental manifestations of this stress by maintaining a quiet session and pouring my focus and loving intent into my movements and energy. I called on the Lord to use me as a vessel to heal her from the inside out. When our session was over, I stepped out so she could gather herself and then she visited the restroom. I was changing the sheets when she re-entered the room and I started asking her about some volunteer work she does at a local nursing home.
After a few moments she said, "I need to share something with you. The Lord spoke to me during my massage and I have a message to give to you." I closed the door for privacy and sat down on the edge of my massage table. "When I walked in today and looked at your face, I saw calm, serenity and peace. I saw it coming from your eyes and in the air around you." At this point she stood up from the chair she was sitting in and placed her hands on the sides of my head at my temples and said, "You are blessed among women. Your calm, serenity, and peace bless those around you. You bring people many blessings and those blessings will be returned to you. The Lord wants you to know that you are right where you need to be and that blessings are coming soon." She continued in this vein for a few more moments while my eyes were closed, but filling with tears. When she was done I thanked her, told her I was grateful for the message and disclosed to her that Brandon and I had been trying for a child for a while now. Her arms flew in the air, she gasped and said, "I just got chills. Just remember, blessings are coming." We spoke briefly about faith and then chit-chatted about other things as she sipped her water and then I walked her to the door and said goodbye.
It has been almost a year and a half of trying to conceive and although I still have faith the Lord will bless us with a child, some days are harder than others. Things have been changing at home, for the better, and I have felt a new wind sweeping into our lives. A wind that feels like it is bringing something new, something sweet, something worth waiting for. I am home and about to continue laundry and make dinner, but I can barely stand still or keep the smile off of my face because my heart might just burst with all the praise I have for my Lord and everything He is doing in my life. I truly believe the Lord spoke to me through this woman because He loves me and, like a true father, was letting me know in His own way and whispering for me to keep my faith.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7
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