So that's why!
Have you ever had one of those moments? A "so that's why" moment. You know that moment I am talking about! Something happens and it was not what you were wanting or hoping for and you wonder why God chose to do things that way. Then later on something else happens and you know immediately that is why you didn't get your way before. I heard a really wonderful story about a "So that's why" moment and I thought it was worth sharing.
We have been visiting a Church the last few Sundays and are really beginning to feel this may be the church God is calling us to make our new church home. Because of this we are taking time to talk with the Pastor and get to know a little more about the church. This past Sunday night we were told a story about a family there. About 2 or 3 years ago the mother was in the parking lot of a store with her baby. I don't remember how old the baby girl was but she was only a few months old because she was still in a baby carseat (you know, the kind that you can take out of the car and has a handle to carry the baby in the seat). The baby was in the seat and the mom pulled the seat out of the car. She put the seat on the shopping cart she had pulled over to the car and turned to get something else out.
In life things can happen in a split second without warning or reason. The seat fell out of the cart and hit the asphalt upside-down. I am not sure if there was any obvious damage to the baby that made the mom go to the ER or if it was just the fear of a new mom but she picked the baby up and rushed to the closest ER.
The Doctor ordered an MRI and when it came back he saw nothing to be concerned about and the family was waiting to be discharged. Meanwhile another doctor (I think they said he was a neurologist) who was a member of the church happened to be walking by and saw the name of the child on the board. He sought out the family to find out what was going on and asked to see the film of the MRI. When he examined the film he found a tiny tumor around the base of the brain stem. It was caught early and after surgery and treatments the little girl is doing very well.
Had the carseat not fallen the tumor might not have been caught until it was too late to save her.
You know, we really tend to fuss and gripe about the things in our life that don't go the way we think they should. We forget that God is ALL KNOWING. He may need to allow that difficult time in our life in order to clear the way for the good thing that he wants to bring about. Sometimes we have the blessing of seeing and understanding that "So that's why" moment and sometimes we never know why. Either way God doesn't leave us so we have to keep pressing forward in faith knowing that God knows why and that is all that matters. It's not an easy task by any means, but it is the right one.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
What just happened?
Sorry Christy. I will try to be better about blogging. ;)
So, I have been thinking about something that happened to me many years ago (about 11 years to be more exact). I may have told some of you about this in person but mostly I have kept it to myself because it appeared to make some people very uncomfortable when I would talk about it. Well, it has continued to be on my mind so I think I will just toss it out there and see what happens. I am very interested to hear thoughts about this now.
I was at a church we had been attending for a short time. I remember feeling such a draw to this church and congregation because of the attitude there. They were open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in a great and tremendous way. As the spirit lead, so went the congregation and leadership. As a result, wonderful things were happening in the life of that church.
One night after a service a young woman went to the alter to pray. Several ladies came up and began praying for her. I felt a prompting to join them in this intercession for this young woman. I remember standing in the back of the group of ladies that had surrounded this woman and praying for God to move in her life. At some point in my praying I just wanted to lift my hands to God so I did and I began to have this intimate moment with him. I don't know when, because I was in my moment with God, but some of the ladies had finished praying for the other woman and began to come around me and pray. I don't know what they were praying, I just knew they were there. I could feel there hands on me as they prayed.
Now here is were people look at me strange. :) I was so focused on God and this moment with him and suddenly there was this warm, strong rush that came down upon me. I actually fell to the ground. This warmth enveloped me. It ran up, down, and through my body over and over from my head to my toes. It filled me with a peace that I could never begin to explain. I just laid there with my eyes closed embracing this moment with God. I don't know how long it lasted. It only felt like a few minutes to me, but when I finally opening my eyes there was just one woman. She was kneeling on the ground beside me smiling. She talked to me for a while to be sure I was okay and then I went home. I was exhausted and yet so relaxed and at peace. I have often wondered what happened to me that night. I have spoken with people who call it being "slain in the spirit" or "filled with the spirit" or other phrases that escape me at the moment. I have searched The Bible to find scripture to explain this event to me and the only thing I have found that comes close to explaining it is in Acts 2 when the holy spirit comes upon the disciples.
Acts 2 - 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now let me make it clear that I did not (to the best of my memory) speak in any language. I only remember just being there in the moment with God. I remember the peace of it all and the shear force on which it came upon me. I was never scared or hurt. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. It is, however, something that I have longed to understand more since that moment.
I know that once I asked Jesus to come and be my Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit came to abide in me. Because of this I know the Holy Spirit was already with me when this happened. So what was this moment? Scripture is filled with moments when He filled His temple or touched someone in a special way or even when Moses had a moment with God on the mountain. As Christians some of us get nervous at the idea that Gods would still act in this way. Why do we get nervous? Is it fear of not being in control?
I don't know what happened to me that night, but I know it was a gift from God. Has it changed my life a in great and mighty way? Not that I can really think of. It was just a moment with God, a beautiful moment when God said, "Here, Ninfa." and he poured something out on me. Although I may never understand it on this earth, I pray I never forget it.
Don't live in fear of the Holy Spirits moving. He knows what is best and what you need. If you try too hard to control things you may miss out on your moment with God... whatever form it may come in.
Have a blessed day!
So, I have been thinking about something that happened to me many years ago (about 11 years to be more exact). I may have told some of you about this in person but mostly I have kept it to myself because it appeared to make some people very uncomfortable when I would talk about it. Well, it has continued to be on my mind so I think I will just toss it out there and see what happens. I am very interested to hear thoughts about this now.
I was at a church we had been attending for a short time. I remember feeling such a draw to this church and congregation because of the attitude there. They were open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in a great and tremendous way. As the spirit lead, so went the congregation and leadership. As a result, wonderful things were happening in the life of that church.
One night after a service a young woman went to the alter to pray. Several ladies came up and began praying for her. I felt a prompting to join them in this intercession for this young woman. I remember standing in the back of the group of ladies that had surrounded this woman and praying for God to move in her life. At some point in my praying I just wanted to lift my hands to God so I did and I began to have this intimate moment with him. I don't know when, because I was in my moment with God, but some of the ladies had finished praying for the other woman and began to come around me and pray. I don't know what they were praying, I just knew they were there. I could feel there hands on me as they prayed.
Now here is were people look at me strange. :) I was so focused on God and this moment with him and suddenly there was this warm, strong rush that came down upon me. I actually fell to the ground. This warmth enveloped me. It ran up, down, and through my body over and over from my head to my toes. It filled me with a peace that I could never begin to explain. I just laid there with my eyes closed embracing this moment with God. I don't know how long it lasted. It only felt like a few minutes to me, but when I finally opening my eyes there was just one woman. She was kneeling on the ground beside me smiling. She talked to me for a while to be sure I was okay and then I went home. I was exhausted and yet so relaxed and at peace. I have often wondered what happened to me that night. I have spoken with people who call it being "slain in the spirit" or "filled with the spirit" or other phrases that escape me at the moment. I have searched The Bible to find scripture to explain this event to me and the only thing I have found that comes close to explaining it is in Acts 2 when the holy spirit comes upon the disciples.
Acts 2 - 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now let me make it clear that I did not (to the best of my memory) speak in any language. I only remember just being there in the moment with God. I remember the peace of it all and the shear force on which it came upon me. I was never scared or hurt. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. It is, however, something that I have longed to understand more since that moment.
I know that once I asked Jesus to come and be my Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit came to abide in me. Because of this I know the Holy Spirit was already with me when this happened. So what was this moment? Scripture is filled with moments when He filled His temple or touched someone in a special way or even when Moses had a moment with God on the mountain. As Christians some of us get nervous at the idea that Gods would still act in this way. Why do we get nervous? Is it fear of not being in control?
I don't know what happened to me that night, but I know it was a gift from God. Has it changed my life a in great and mighty way? Not that I can really think of. It was just a moment with God, a beautiful moment when God said, "Here, Ninfa." and he poured something out on me. Although I may never understand it on this earth, I pray I never forget it.
Don't live in fear of the Holy Spirits moving. He knows what is best and what you need. If you try too hard to control things you may miss out on your moment with God... whatever form it may come in.
Have a blessed day!
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