There are moments that I fall under such gratitude that I just wish to gather all those who are precious to me and with all the thankfulness in my heart pour out back to them the life they have poured into me....
I have always had such a fascination with the leper who went back to Jesus to say thank you ... I think of all the bible characters that exist these days I find myself relating the most to him....
There were many things I never believed I would experience in this life... and yet the Father... yet the Father... His goodness tops the list... His love and His affections poured out upon my life but that I so truly know where I would be....
Gratitude pours forth from me as I write this and I am shaken to the core of all I am as I weep at the goodness of our Father.... my Father... my Father... I say that with such joy and such delight... the fact that the term Father has glorious beauty attached to it... magnificent love beyond any description....
I was writing something last night and at one point I wrote how I had learned that at times the best warfare is rest... and as I did I heard the friend's voice who spoke that to me...
My family... my friends...the communities of believers I walk in and around.... I have to say right this moment a friend texted me and she wrote, "You are soooooo blessed!" And it blew me away... I told her I was writing this and I am even more assured that this piece is not just flowing forth from my own flesh and desire now to appreciate and pour out gratitude... it was just the right encouragement because I wanted to step into this place and very specifically pour forth gratitude but was holding back.... and now .. now I just realize all the more how much the Father has made me for this... and even now as I paused for a moment a dream I had comes flowing back ... I have been made like that one leper to return .. to return and scream forth gratitude!!!
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan
Ah a Samaritan at that... how much more can I relate...
But I do ... I do.. praising God in a loud voice falling at Jesus' feet I return.. I return ... because I have been loved and received and loved and healed and loved and loved more and more and more...
So here it goes... To Renovatus Church.. you restored my heart to believe in corporate gatherings and in a people who could hunger and thirst for authenticity and beauty in community... my heart could spill out paragraphs just to you.. To the Martins who lead with such beauty and wonder and power you both amaze me... to the friends that I have been privileged to get to know.. you all have filled my life with hope and life and joy.. I am so truly very grateful for having walked through your doors almost one year ago... July 11, 2010... will forever be upon my heart .. when the hymn, Be Thou My Vision, played forth and truly the Lord granted to me and my family a most glorious gift....
To Dwelling Place you have given me a place to call home and every time I near your doors and walk onto your land be it on a mountain or in the valley I am loved.. I am loved... when it was landing in Roanoke and being picked up or now a three hour drive north I have a place that is full of all the things a home should be filled with... you fill my life with mercy and grace and I will never ever be the same.... Your individual names and faces are engraved into my heart and I marvel at the remembrance of each of you... Sizemores you have given to me more than I could ever express .. Rick you are truly an incredible teacher of truth full of mercy and grace and freedom
To the Stir The Water and Intrepret My Dream communities... I love dreaming with you and running after God with you... I love walking to the edge and crossing over with you.... I cherish those of you that have walked with us for years and years and years and those that have just met us and I look forward to forming those relationships with you.... your hunger and desire push me forward to know God .. and I am blessed by you and your hunger and your desire... I am so very grateful for each and everyone of you
To those I wouldn't have life without... James and children you are straight from the Father's heart to me and no amount of words or paragraphs or time could ever fully convey my affections... or my gratitude that I get to walk the world with those like you... I am privileged to be called wife and mom...
There are so many I should name individually and as the days and weeks go on I will add to this.... but for now... I must bow down before my Creator and thank Him for creating sisters and brothers who love me so incredibly well... who fill my life with laughter and joy... who have taught me to walk and made sure I knew how to do so.... who believed in me when I couldn't and cherished me beyond what anyone would think was humanly possibly.... you are my sisters and brothers... you are my family... you have done the will of God in my life and I am so changed because you have loved me so so very well..... so dearest ones as we walk remembering movies quotes together or times together... times apart... times of tears and times of triumph.... I remember you and I return to you... screaming and shouting Thank You... Thank You... Thank You....
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