Week 2

Yesterday was  a big day for me. I think it was one of those days that I will always remember exactly what I was wearing and how I felt in the midst of it. Week 2. As we decided to plant a church a little over a year ago, week 2 is what has been daunting throughout the whole process. Launch Sunday came and it was amazing, we had friends and family from all over the place come to celebrate with us. Week 2 they were all back at home, in their own towns, in their own churches. So when I woke up Sunday morning of week two, fear and doubt slowly began to roll in.

Imagine my surprise then, when I got up early to pray and God surprised me with some discipline. I love discipline as much as the next person…but on the Sunday morning of week 2, I expected a little coddling, that is not what I got. I felt that I had let my guard down, I didn’t spend enough time praying during the week, I didn’t get into my Bible, I didn’t prepare myself emotionally or spiritually for week 2. Worst of all I stayed up to late watching Hulu most nights! There is a confession for you. As we came off the high of Launch weekend I wanted to relax, all the hard work and prayers had paid off, Launch Sunday was amazing! God gently encouraged me with this, the realization that I was not prepared for week two. All that prep we did for Launch Sunday now is going to be done in the in between of Monday through Saturday. Hello! Let that sink in for a minute.  

So when I realized this, God did for me what He always does, He reminded me of His word over me for this season.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5-6, 

In God’s grace, He came and showed up on week two, in spite of my inability to prepare. He amazed us, people came, new people, people who will be a part of the next season of our life. He is building the family of Mercy City and it is a beautiful thing to watch! 

This season of my life as in so many season before has been marked by the Word of God.  He always speaks, He always gives me a word to stand on.  Matt preached a sermon Sunday that was so good for me to hear, one of his points was to REMEMBER what God said. As I took that home and was thinking about it I realized all the times in my life, the times of transition and change that God cared enough to encourage me with His word. Those words, like a timeline of my life, have guided me, encouraged me and held me up in times when I couldn’t have stood on my own.  

At Bible School when I was just figuring out who I was but more importantly who He was and how much He loved me, He spoke this word over me, 2 Corinthians 5:17,  

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

I believed that and I watched my life become new and different, I watched the shame of the past fade away. 

When I was living in Scotland, homesick and fearful, God spoke a Word into my spirit that became a part of me.

"God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” 
Ps 46:5 

 That word build me up, it made me confident and secure in who God created me to be.  

When I was laying in a hospital bed after I had the twins and I was wondering where my babies were and if they were going to be ok, God whispered into my heart a Word that comforted me and brought me peace in the midst of doctors and surgery and negative reposts, Ps. 23, 

 "The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

I knew that in the end of that situation God was going to be victorious and I was confident in Him! 

When I was wavering in my calling and trying to find my place as a wife, mother and pastor, God spoke a word into me that totally transformed my life, It cause me to see Jesus in a real way, more real that I ever had before, Col 1:26-27, "

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”

Christ lives in me. That is the secret, the mystery. I am God’s plan, He put his spirit within me! What Hope that is, what an amazing realization to learn that in all my mess, God loved me so much that his plan for a fallen humanity was to put His spirit within me, within us! We are the hope for this world.  

Finally when God asked us to take a step of faith and plant Mercy City Church in Lincoln, NE, He told us to trust Him and follow Him because He would show us which path to take. All these moments in my life marked by a word from God. The best part about this is I am not special, I am not super Christian, He gives His word to us all.  

I would encourage you today, where ever you are, whatever situation is going on in your life ask the Holy Spirit to give you a word to stand on. The Word of God is alive, it is powerful and when applied to our lives it can give us breath and strength when we are to weak to press on. God’s Word can remind us of who we are in Him, it will bring peace and it will challenge us. Don’t be afraid to start. Be brave! Seek after God and He will not let you fail.