Word Filled Wednesdays

This verse spoke to me this week. Sometimes the plans that God has for us are so different than what we envisioned for ourselves. I never imagined that I would start a blog about drawing closer to Him, but that is where I am. Recently, I have shared this blog with some treasured friends. Several of them approached me this weekend to tell me that they feel that I am beginning to write my book. Funny, I never told them that I have always had a passion for writing nor did I mention that God began urging me to put my story on paper about four years ago. I kept that secret because then I could change my mind and tell myself that I was just imagining that prompting from Him.

Back in August of 2007, I desperately wanted to change churches. I told myself that I needed to sing in a choir, experience contemporary worship, and be exposed to a different denomination altogether. Please don't take that I am now condemning anyone for participating in those paths of worship. I was just using those as part of my escape plan. We left our church quietly and began attending another local church. The people were friendly and I was counting down the days until I could join the choir because I thought that this was the place for us(ME). My husband and I decided to take a class that would describe what life at that church would be like. I was excited about all of that, plus the opportunity to meet new people. God had other plans!!

The class that we attended was a three week class and was limited to 10 people. Guess what! In this enormous church, we were the only couple in this class. The teacher(we will call him John) would later tell us that he felt that was God's intention all along.

As the class continued, the content of the class was less about different ministry options and instead, focused on becoming a disciple of Christ. There were several topics covered that rocked my boat. I realized that I had been more concerned with what others thought of me and less focused on reaching those that I was trying to impress. That was the first chink in my armour! It was at that moment that I knew where God was leading us and I did not like it one little bit! Several uncomfortable, yet necessary, weeks passed in that class. I was wrestling with this decision to switch churches in a mighty way. John closed in prayer that week by saying,"Lord, I feel that David and Stephanie are so in LOVE with YOU..." He went on to express many things in that prayer, but I felt moved in a way that I can't explain. I had never realized that I was in love with Him, but was terrified of what that meant and where it would take me.

It was clear after that class, although the church we had been attending was a great church, it was not where God was leading us. I fought Him on that as hard as I have ever fought anything and yearned for a different answer even after we went back to our church. Now, several months later, I am beginning to see why He led us back. For me, it has become a place of unconditional love and support for the person that I am and the story that I have to tell. This was His plan all along.

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