This morning we were singing a song I have sung many times before, but all of a sudden in the middle of the verse I got a lump in my throat and my eyes were tearing up.

“I’m forgiven, because You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That You my King, would die for me
Amazing love, I know it’s true
And it’s my joy to honor You
In all I do, I honor you”

I was overcome with gratitude for all that has come my way.  Dale is doing well. The kids are both doing ok.  I had a wonderful trip to Austin, time with old friends, got to know new friends a little better, the weather has been wonderful.  My health has been good, work has been good.  Most of my friends have been blessed lately.  Little things, big things, all things!

All I could think was thank you.  Thank you God for all you have done for me lately.  I have concerns I lift to Him of course, like everyone.  A friend in particular that needs a job, he and his family.  I pray that God will bring something for him and that he will have this same blessed feeling.  That’s the thing about this feeling.  I want to share it with everyone I know.  I’m a much nicer, kinder person when I have this attitude of gratitude.  Instead of spending all my time looking in, I am looking up and out.

The lesson was on Ephesians.  The Wealth, The Walk, and the Warfare.  We are still in the wealth and it was such a fitting lesson for how I am feeling.  The blessings of God the Father, God The Son, and God the Holy Spirit and the wealth they give us as believers.  The power they give us to walk, not on our own strength, but in our weakness, letting God be strong and do battle for us.  The power of prayer that lets us join with others anywhere in the world.  The surrender that comes, not from saying I will sit back and let God do it all, but from saying I will let Him direct what I do so that I DO honor Him.

I know that there will be trials and that I will do more than stumble – I will fall flat on my face repeatedly.  It never ends well when I rely on my own strength or wisdom.

Calvary Chapel Paris is planting two new churches.  One in McKinney and one in Idabel.  I pray that the blessings I have received at this church will go out from the two new ones and bless others.  It’s amazing to me that this church that had maybe 25 people coming on a regular basis when we started and was housed in a metal building out on 271, now has about 400 people attending and multiple active ministries.  The praise team, Children’s ministry, home fellowships, women’s ministry, ministry classes, hebrew class,  youth, and others are all strong and ministering to so many.

I have a box full of notebooks full of notes from Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights., and those notebooks are precious to me.  They are my “real world” journal as this is my online one.

I try not to mix the journals too often but this morning this feeling was just so overwhelming.  Just wanted to share it with you. Amazing.  Love.