If you live anywhere in the Atlanta area you should run (not walk) to check out North Point Community Church. We attend the Alpharetta Campus off of North Point Parkway and have for about 10+ years as a couple but there are quite a few more campuses in the surrounding areas. And if you are not in the area, you can always listen online (like my mom) every week.
http://www.northpoint.org/
The service today was amazing, to say the least. They tend to always be on target with me but today's topic especially related to the creation of my blog. About taking the "authentic you" and empowering yourself to embrace the gifts given, no matter how sad or ugly they are and choose to turn them into good.
We all come from a past, from troubled times, from sin, from loss, from regret, from heartache......we ALL do!
It is our choice to sweep the past under a rug and present ourselves "picture perfect" or we can acknowledge, deal and allow God to work through the mess and create it as a gift that can be given to others. People have told me that they don't know how I did it, how I came out of this with such grace and peace, how strong I am, how accepting I was of what I was given and moved right along......
I can't explain it and not sure if I ever will but I can tell you, when I hear those comments I am completely honored and overwhelmed with the thought that little ole' me has made an impact on someone's faith. Like I have said before, I may never have the answers to the “why” questions of the past but what I do have answered is that my life is forever better with the trust that I put in Him and His plan for me.
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:4
They closed with a wonderful prayer in song that I had heard before, but never quite hit me until today.
Beautiful Things
original song by Gungor
All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
As Jeff Henderson said today, "It's not about you......It's all about God's grace and power in you."
So what are you going to do with it?
You have given ME comfort! Love you!
ReplyDeleteLove you too!!!!
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