This Sunday our families, and our church family and friends stood with us and dedicated Daniel to God, making a commitment before God to work together to do everything in our power to raise Daniel to know and love God. We are so blessed and mostly our children are blessed to be part of our families, and part of this church family.
This year has been amazing, learning to follow God's lead and allow Him to change our hearts and our wants to be in union with His plan. It's an awesome thing when you can see God honoring your decision to follow and serve Him in His plan, by making His plan the desire of your heart and placing people, and moments throughout your days that confirm that this is exactly where God wants you right now.
And to have a church that will challenge, support, and walk with you through this journey, is a GREAT thing! Working on staff this past year has been challenging, but mostly SO great. I love that our pastor is open to us challenging him, that we can approach him with questions, ideas and suggestions, that he listens and discusses. I love that I am confident that the man leading our church, seeks God first, and that he is not afraid to admit, that just like us all he is broken as well, and can't do anything without God. To be part of a church where you can see God working, and feel His presence is a gift. We are all the church, and we must all do our part.
After church we had our family over for a great lunch. It was a GREAT day! I made it easy on myself with some soup, and ordering sandwiches from our favorite sandwich shop:-)
I should share, just to be honest, that this day, and the night before were/could have been a disaster. Daniel and I were up at 1:45 am and never went back to sleep. I couldn't comfort him, and he couldn't settle down. All the while I was bombarded by lies from the enemy, lies that I wasn't being a good mom, and in turn I wasn't serving Jesus to my fullest. When morning (well 8am on the clock) came, we were a mess! Daniel was still very sad, and now very tired, and SO was I. I was feeling very sorry for myself that I had to host people in my not so clean house, and go to church when I was in such a rough state. In the midst of my pity party, I heard God clearly remind me that I had a choice. I could turn to Him and rely on Him for what I needed for this day, OR I could remain in my pity party, and the day would STINK. There was also the gentle reminder, that I had invited all our friends and family to stand with us and make a commitment to God, and that what I was promising to do, was try my hardest to be an example to my kids of how to follow God, Love Him, and know Him. One of the things I want my kids to see is my obedience to God, and my reliance on Him. SO I prayed to God, and got up and went to church with the strength of God leading me. And God met me, and exceeded anything I could have done on my own even with a full night's sleep!
Friends came who were traveling just hours before, a friend came without her family (her little guy was sick:( ) . The worship that w morning was awesome! The set included a song, How He Loves by David Crowder, the lyrics are:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way:
He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Cause He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves..
How appropriate, I am overwhelmed by HOW God loves us, and HOW much He treasures ME.
Brad led the dedication talking about the example of Daniel in the bible. Oh how my hopes for my son include that he will be a man of deep conviction, courage, faith and wisdom like his namesake. Followed by the launch of our small groups. Then family time in our house complete with cake. See it was a GOOD day, despite my attempts to ruin it!
Brad picked Daniel 2:20-22, as Daniel's verse, it reads, "Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said, "Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes the times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with Him."
Thank you God for all you are doing in our lives and the lives around us. Teach us to be your servants and to follow you ALWAYS.
No comments:
Post a Comment