I heart Him

Wow-what a week it has been. I can’t remember the last time I was this tired and filled at the same time. There are so many highs from this week that even to go through them is overwhelming. Jesus continues to show himself in those around me. I need Jesus more than ever and I love when he’s in my face.

Sunday

A few of us from the GR went down to Church Hill. There’s a group of people around my age that are working to change lives in Church Hill. We talked with them, took a tour of their neighborhood and felt community that to even put it into words wouldn’t express how cool it was/is. A young guy named, Percy Strickland, felt God tugging him and his wife to do more. They lived in a comfortable apartment in the West End and lived a fairly comfortable life. They prayed that God would use them.God sent them to the inner city. They bought a house in Church Hill and decided to be intentional about community. They talked to their neighbors, met with the kids, mowed lawns, and just showed them love. Out of that they grew a ministry called, CHAT (Church Hill Activities and Tutoring.) They opened their home to tutor/love these children/families. They now tutor over thirty (currently but they’ve tutored/mentored hundreds) and they’ve opened their own private high school. Younger couples have since moved into this neighborhood specifically to be a part of this ministry. It’s incredible to sit back and watch a city be transformed. They take them on trips, they tutor them, and in some cases they’ve taken abandoned children into their own homes. Wow.

After we toured the neighborhood we attended an afternoon church service in which a young woman from Church Hill gave her life to Christ. She was left alone; Percy and his wife moved her into their own home. They now call her their daughter. Because Percy and his wife took an interest in her….taught her about Jesus…gave her a family…and loved her…she saw Jesus. The Pastor that baptized her said, “You guys need to encourage this young woman. It’s tough enough to be a Christian today but imagine being a young person in 2009 living in Church Hill and living out your faith.” Wow. Wow. Wow. This young woman’s name is Essence…and to see her face fully at peace. Her name so suits her. There are no real words to capture that moment.

That my friend is Jesus fully at work.

Monday

I traveled with Andy and Lana to Maryland to see Hillsong United. I tried not to put any expectations on how big or incredible I thought this worship experience would be. I didn’t want to build it up and then leave not feeling satisfied. That seems so silly to me now but that’s how I felt. Imagine being in a crowd of people with their arms raised and THOUSANDS of voices singing to our Savior. They played the song, “Inside Out” which has been my song through so many seasons…I was beyond moved. I stood with my arms up, my eyes closed and completely lost in a moment of worshipping my God. The drums were beating through me and it felt to me like God’s heartbeat. The Holy Spirit just moved across that entire place. To see so many people praise God…Wow. Wow. Wow. At one point Hillsong United’s youth pastor got up and said a few words. He talked about being a new dad and his love for his daughter. He said, “You know sometimes my little girl will be crying and she wants something that only her mother can give her…you know what I mean. So, I rock her, hold her, and whisper to her, ‘baby girl hold on…it’s on its way..hold on..shhh.’ You know I think that’s what God does with us. He’s always holding us, loving us, and whispering…shhh, hold on love, it’s on its way.”
Now, this isn’t a new concept for me but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I imagined God just cradling me when I am ridden with fear, anxiety or desperation for my heart’s desires to be met. I can just hear Him whispering to me, “Hold on, M.E. it’s on its way…shhh…I love you.” That was extremely powerful for me. My hands flew up and the tears came. This is how incredible the God that I serve is.


Tuesday was a blur of exhaustion and still riding on the high of my worship experience.

Wednesday

I’ve been struggling with a relationship that holds a great importance in my life. I was struggling with things like, “God am I just stretching out a season? Am I pushing this friendship? Should I just walk away.” This dear friend of mine came over and a lot of things were put out on the table. We shared our hurts, our love, our struggles and it was all done with grace, humility and in one of the most authentic ways I’ve ever experienced. God was in that room, loving His two children and guiding our conversation. Not all was solved but we finally understood one another. The night ended with a few tears, and a long hug. A hug that was long over due. A conversation that helped us to better understand two best friends just trying to figure out how to do life and how to love Jesus in the midst of confrontation. God.is.so.good. The more I grow the more I see the need in approaching friends, acquaintances, coworkers, etc with love and in love. It’s so much easier that way. At the end of the day we are all flawed, all hurting, and all struggling to figure this life out. That’s a common bond. I sent an email to this friend afterwards just saying, “Thank you for listening. I love you beyond words.” I got a response back from my friend not long after that ended with, “Love still covers…”
Thank you, Jesus for continuing to work through me and for showing yourself to me in the eyes of one of my best friends. I believe.

As if God hadn’t moved enough in three days…I had another encounter with Him on Thursday night.

Thursday

I’ve been meeting for a few months now with woman that attends my church. We’ve been meeting to talk about life and how God works in all of that. She’s a new Christian and still trying to figure it all out (I am too by the way.) :) I didn’t have many expectations and to be honest I was just drained from having too may late nights in a row. Well, we started talking about my past/testimony. I hadn’t planned on sharing it, however, the Holy Spirit just moved. I shared the story of how I found PCC, a relationship that ended, my baptism, the death of my dad, the strength that I only found in God’s arms, and the relationships that helped to save me in my low moments. By the end we were both crying. I looked over and there is no way to explain the look in her eyes. Pure peace. I knew something was changing but I didn’t know what. She asked for books, worship music, guidance, accountability, etc. I sent her home with Rob Bell’s Sex God (relevant to so many things she’s struggling with), a cd filled with worship music (yes, Inside Out was on there), and a bible concordance. When she left she said, “I just want to wake my husband up and pray out loud with him. I’ve never done that before.” Wow. Wow. Wow. I floated to my bed that night..NOT because of what I did but because of how God used me…it was all Him, I was just the vessel. God met both of us on my front porch that night. God cradled both of us and I believe I had a moment where God just wasn’t saying, “Hold on M.E., it’s on its way.” He was saying, “Shhh…see…here it is…here IT is.” What an incredible gift to sit back and watch God transform lives-myself included.

Friday

I got a text message at 7:20am from this friend…”Call me soon.” I called her and what a way to start my day!!! She went home, woke her husband up and SHE prayed OUT LOUD for the first time with him. She opened her eyes at the end and she said tears rolled down her husband’s face. She said, “I am so on fire for God. I know that I was changed last night and I just can’t wait to learn more, do more, and be with God. My marriage feels different…my life feels different.” I said, “Welcome, my dear friend…there is nothing like it in the world.” I think my car just floated right on to work…my car and my heart.

This is the breath of life. This is why we are here. Preaching doesn’t just come from the pulpit….it happens on front porches, in the streets of inner city Richmond, in late night conversations with best friends, and through worshipping around others that you don’t even know. Lives are changed everyday and I’m so thankful that God finds me worthy enough to let me share in those changed lives.

The Kingdom is growing, friends. Can you feel it? :)


...At times I am selfish, irrational, hard headed, and hard to love....yet, people reached out to love me and to show me God's love. I love that God is letting me share in so many incredible life altering moments. I want to be used each day. We all have excuses:it's not convienient, it's hard, it takes time, etc. Those excuses are NEVER good enough...God calls us to love. Jesus says, "be my hands and feet."

Have conversations, share your story, LISTEN and I am willing to bet that those things will cause a ripple...a ripple makes a current...and lives are changed. What a blessing.

To you I say, Reach out and love someone today.