Saturday, November 26, 2011

My Story - August 2003

This is the story of the most difficult time of our lives. May the telling of it bring hope to others and help me to heal.

8/10/03 Sunday 4 pm

Today is a better day. Phil is feeling better and church was awesome. God really met me there. During worship, I felt like He spoke to me and said that we – and particularly Phil – are on the right path. We are where He wants us to be.

I also felt like God spoke to me through the song “Everything Is In His Hands”. As the song began, Anna came to me in the back and said she wanted to pray for me as we worshiped. She stood in back of me and laid her hands on me. It was really wonderful. I have no idea what she prayed but I felt very encouraged because this is what I see for the church. I see the freedom during worship to move around the sanctuary, interceding. Beginning with the song after that one, I had a burden to intercede for the church. I love it when that happens because I feel like that is my specific calling – intercessory worship – and it’s been so long since the Lord has given me that burden.

After church, Mark came up to me and said that God had given him a word: “God is wounding the intercessors so they can intercede”. He felt like it was specifically for me and Connie. (Connie is going through a hardship in her life too.) That was exciting because, to me, the tambourine ministry is a ministry of intercession.

When Mark gave the word to the church during his sermon, he said that the reason God is wounding us is so that we will have a gift of grace to give to others. He said that “through your wounds, you are going to heal other people.”

During the last part of worship, I felt like God gave me words from a song for Phil – “Though my flesh it be destroyed, yet with my eyes I will see God.” Some of his flesh has literally been destroyed and also God is using this situation to help him to die to his flesh. I felt like God was saying that he will see God, both personally and in the sanctuary during worship.

The people were so kind to me, asking about us and offering different kinds of help. We feel so supported by this church. People have offered to mow our grass, to take care of things around the house, to bring meals, to pray, to visit Phil, to drive Jesse places, and to listen when I need to talk. People have given us money and have picked me up and taken me to worship in the sanctuary. The church gave me a check today to pay for our medical insurance for the rest of the month. We are now beginning the fourth week and they are still here for us just as much as in the beginning.

There is a verse that says And so we know and rely on the love God has for us (1 John 4:16). His love is being expressed to us through His people. This is the first time we have experienced this incredible love.

I got a copy of the sermon for Phil and he eagerly listened to it. I brought a CD player, the sermon tape, and some CDs. I’m thinking that he might be ready for worship music again and that God might talk to him.

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