What an awesome sermon we enjoyed at church yesterday!

     When I woke up Sunday morning I didn't feel all that great, I was tired and just feeling irritable. And I didn't want to feel that way at all! I was longing to feel the joy I knew was there waiting for me. All of Gods blessings were around me. I needed a breakthrough and I didn't want to wait until half way through church to get it.

     Sometimes when I come to church it takes about thirty minutes before I can really get calm and ready for worship. Conner's Lacross coach said something the other day that really intrigued me. He said that if the boys would just come into the season in shape he could teach them so much more. But he has to spend half of the season getting them up to speed physically. I was like, that's me at church! I need to come to church prepared spiritually so I can get the most of what God has for me! 

     So, on Sunday morning we got to church early and I walked in a big circle around the cemetary praying my heart out, telling God everything I had on my heart, giving it all to him so that when I entered church I was ready, my heart was prepared for Him. As I was rounding the bend up by the Ma & Pa trees by the road, it hit me. I felt the now familiar peace that comes when I know my prayers have been heard. I just knew I had been blessed and I could now feel Gods love for me because I took some time to get out of my own way. Praise Jesus! Oh that he cares! Oh that he listens! When I walked into the sanctuary I was calm, I felt ready and I felt glad. I knew I was where I wanted to be. My heart was prepared to receive his blessings, and it made all the difference.

     There was a sweet spirit at church on Sunday. I could absolutely feel it moving. A few times I could feel it like a breeze. The sermon Bob gave was definatly stirring hearts. He asked us to change our hearts by practicing forgiveness. I, for one could not wait to start. I was amazed by the sheer number of people who's names and faces popped up when I looked back over my life. I laid down that evening and began sifting through my memories and they came to me one by one in chronoloigcal order and I said my peace and the next one popped right up like they were all there just waiting to be reconciled. I actually fell asleep and when I woke up my mind went right back to work and picked up where it had left off when I'd fallen asleep. It was very important, I felt, that while I was bringing up all of these circumstances and the emotional pain connected with it that I was thorough in my spiritual work of releasing it. So, I  began the process of forgiving myself and reminding myself that the reason for recalling it was to end it's hold over me by giving it to God. He's already forgiven me but I needed to do my part and empty my storehouse of mistakes, regrets and bitterness so I can recieve his forgiveness, fully and completely. I want the freedom Bob said would follow. I am very much looking forward to that!

     We are praying to God for revival here at Hinkle. We have claimed it! We are saying to God, "Revive and refresh our hearts! Make us ready! Open our eyes and ears to your love for us!" Pour your spirit on us! We want to go further, we want to do more, we want to expand our territory! We want to make a difference here in his holy name. Not just because we want an amazing experience and to feel good! Although I have no doubt that will be part of it, it certainly isn't our goal. We want to grow as christians, we want to see fruits of the spirit become real in our lives. 

     When I was at the retreat last month I was sitting in the chapel and it was late. Most everyone had left but a few had stayed behind. I just felt I wasn't ready to leave yet, so, there I sat, enjoying my time with God, not wanting it to be over. Four of the women who had been some of the leaders that weekend came in together and headed up to the alter, one of them sat on the steps and the other three stood around her, they laid their hands on her shoulders. One stood in front and one to each side. they all bowed their heads and each one prayed softly. Her back was to the alter and I couldn't even see the woman. She was covered on all sides by the women praying for her. One of the women began weeping and then sobbing and one lifted her hands upward and begain to exclaim halelujiah over and over again. I just sat there watching. It was so quiet, so still and so intense. Finally, after some time they all collapsed down to their knees and held each other then they helped the woman who was being prayed for to her feet. She seemed a little overwhelmed herself. I don't know why they were praying for her in that way. But whatever the result, it hit all of those women at the same time. They all reacted seperatly but equally. It looked to me that they had gotten a response when they cried out earnestly for their sister in need. I imagined they felt some kind of mighty holy wind, sort of like the breeze I felt in church on Sunday. These women didn't just walk up there and hope that God would be happening by when they prayed. No, they had done their spiritial work and knew that when they needed to access Gods amazing power in hopes of healing he would come.

     As I've mentioned before, the most important thing I learned at the retreat is how much God loves us. So great! So mighty! So incredibly awesome! He loves us! He loves us so abundantly it's hard to imagine. Like the woman in the bible who was seeking healing, when you but touch the hem of his garment in faith you get a glimmer of what he has in store for you. His pure love heals our broken spirits. He can use us in circumstances we, ourselves, could never manage on our own. We are then living in Gods power. What a privilege. What an honor.