He has rescued me from many things in my life, that incredible God of ours, but its usually me that I need rescuing from. My thoughts my desires my assumptions and mostly my control. Its not always as exciting as one of those amazing rescues you see on the news-I have yet to be rescued from a burning building- but it is no less serious in fact some of the subtleties that He rescues me from are the shifts I needed to make the next big move. Ultimately a move that removes more of me to be filled by Him.
A couple of Sundays ago though I did need a serious rescue from God in a not so subtle way. I had been asked to come back to visit some family at a church this particular Sunday morning with the intention to update them on HHSM. Although I am by nature a disorganized person this time I had e-mailed a few days a head to keep myself on track because I have been blessed with more and more speaking engagements I have learned to go over details so I don't go to a seniors group and talk about how youth can be involved with change or show up at a church to talk about the sex trade only to realize that this particular church may have a hard time with the word sex-let alone talking about it as an occupation. Anyway i say all of that to tell you its not good to mix up your speaking engagement details. But this time I still managed to. I had done very little-okay NO prep-for this "talk" because I really did believe I was simply updating this church with mission details about needs,programs etc. Well when Tom and I arrived we were in for a big surprise.....
As we walk into the church they start to mic me up you know Brittney Spears style and I say as always " no need to mic me I am probably loud enough" my attempt at humor or perhaps a subtle jab to my spirit, I tend to do that right before in a strange way to tear myself down just a little, I really need to stop that. Anyway I glance over at their bulletin for the service and I notice it has plastered on the front "GUEST SPEAKER HELEN NORRIS" I look very carefully to find some clue to what the pastor may be preaching about but I cant. I suddenly realize that I may have misunderstood my reason for being there that morning. I politely ask how much time I have to update the congregation and the person miking me giggles and says you have 35 minutes or however much time you need to deliver your message. MESSAGE ?? Oh my goodness I am doomed! I've got nothing- not even a scribbled piece of another message in my car that I can somehow try to rekindle -after I try to figure out what the message was under the coffee stain and foot print marks (yeah my car isn't the most organized either) but I didn't even have that. Tom says to me "what are you going to do?" "Go to the van and get my bible" I said.
The worship music had started and I prayed like I have never prayed before" God you know I have nothing prepared for this, I have no back up nothing,please rescue me Lord you are all I have." The music ended and i was called to the front to preach to a congregation the word of God and I had nothing. Until God spoke to me. He said "use my words" I wish I could tell you that I saw that as some divine revelation but I was really thinking" is that it? I got 35 minutes remember?!" but of course He was right-isn't HE always. I opened up my bible to the page that is almost worn out and read Isaiah 61 with the first marking I ever wrote in a bible that stated in ink"Gods call on my life", that was the gate that God needed to speak that day about His call on not just my life but all of us and how He so beautifully weaved the stories from the mission through that was incredible. It was one of those moments where I was speaking and as I was listening to what God was revealing through me I was blown away by His message. I knew it was God because I was so removed from it that I was able to be a receiver of His word at the same time as the congregation. Something would come out of my mouth and I would be thinking "wow that's amazing!" Totally God and the freedom I felt from allowing Gods spirit to fill me so full that there was no room for me in those 40 minutes was so incredible.
As I am witness again to God amazing grace to me and the filling of His spirit He asks Tom to step forward and share about men's group at the mission and the powerful God moments happening there as well. And there we stood. Tom and I in this moment taken over by God and the spirit taking over us both speaking to a church about Gods power and glory and grace and beauty. It felt like I was finally realizing a new step in His plan for us. A plan to work together in a grace-filled way to speak with God to not just this church but I believe to the nation. As we prayed together with our arms around each other that Sunday morning I felt a jump in my spirit-something FREAKY YEA JESUS FREAKY. This journey wasn't ever supposed to be solo but in partnership with Tom. To realize the power of God in not just my testimony or Toms but in the testimony of our lives together. God rescued me that Sunday morning from many things but mostly myself. To let go of ownership of HHSM and its story and to allow God to work His awesome plan out the way He intended to . Not just through me but my wonderful husband too.
Finding my JESUS FREAK hasn't been easy so far. But it has been so amazing up to now that I cant wait to see where God is leading us next.
Thank-you for following me on His incredible journey.
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