Yesterday was an awesome day from start to finish! Meeting in the building was so exciting. Even though I had preached once before in the building when we had to move inside last year due to weather it was the 'first' time to have service in a 'completed' building. Having thirty-one people in person for service was exciting but the most exciting part was having one accept Christ! Woo hoo! God is so, so good! Of course there were tears of both joy and sorrow throughout the day but that was OK. There was a smile on my face that just did not want to stop. I was surrounded by people who love and encourage me greatly. Having lunch with Nestor's, the rest God provided yesterday afternoon, the phone calls and texts I received throughout the day...the day made me feel so loved. Woo hoo! God's peace being upon me and His love being realized was so awesome. I am one blessed lady.
I saw this picture yesterday at the Cracker Barrel gift shop and was reminded of a few things. The butterfly reminds me of the pin my friend Amy gave me when Doc passed. It also reminds me of the words my friend Patricia said about me. "You remind me of a butterfly that was in a cocoon like me but now you are coming out of it and spreading those beautiful wings flying as high as you want to go." Another reminder from the picture was something my Daddy always told me. He told me I could do anything in God's strength I set my heart on. There were times when I thought the building would not be finished without Doc here to accomplish it. There were a lot of prayers put into the process along with a lot of tears. Praise His Holy Name God did not give up on me. Yesterday's sermon focused on faithfulness, God's love, and trusting Him. These are three things I could not live without. As I said yesterday, this building is only the beginning for us. "The Wait Is Over" is not true. We have great days ahead of us as the Beaufort Church of the Nazarene. I loved what Clay said. "We're crossing the Jordan and there's hope and promise. There will be tests and trials just as the Israelites faced but the worst is over." Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name! I was reminded of Exodus 14:14 so many times over these last few weeks. It reads in the New Living Testament: The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. When I found out we were missed on the list for having internet hooked up Friday, I could have panicked but instead I knew God would work everything out. I stayed calm. The result was we were added onto the afternoon schedule and internet was installed. That is just one of many times I stood on this verse throughout the building process. God is so, so good and I am one blessed lady. Jeremy Camp's song "Out of My Hands" is one I can truly relate to...
So when it feels like all of this pain is never gonna end
Brought to my knees by all of these things I don't understand
Don't understand, I will let the weight of my fear fall like sand
Out of my hands and into Yours, out of my hands and into Yours
Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for loving and blessing me so greatly! Thank You for cleansing my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today. Thank You for going before my friend Kaye as she returns to work today! May You continue to be her strength. I pray the same for my sister Linda, my Momma, Little Ivy's family, Pastor Karen, my friend Mary, and so many others who are going through difficult times. Lord, be greater than the hurts of their heart. Thank You Jesus for being My Calmness! Amen.
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