God is speaking to me.
So, no running posts for today but I did want to share something that happened to me last Thursday. I had to go to an appointment in kind of a shady part of town and I decided to go a little early. If you know me, you know that I like to be early to everything. So I drive in to the parking lot and as I was coming in I noticed that someone was in the dumpster. As I got a little closer I noticed that this person was throwing cans outside to take and turn in for money, I assumed. As I parked my car I decided that I needed to ask God what I should do for this person. I felt like I had to do something. I have been given so much. I have been blessed more than most people in this world and here is a guy that, for one reason or another, is in a dumpster digging for cans to redeem to buy something. I had a moment with God where I just said, "If I am supposed to do something, tell me what I am supposed to do."
This was right around lunch time and I had brought my lunch with me for the day and just figured that I would eat it after my appointment. But, I really think that God was speaking to me and told me to give this man part of my lunch. I had 2 pieces of pizza, ate one and took the other to the man. When I approached him, I think that he thought he was getting into trouble for being there. I approached him slowly and just said "I have an extra piece if you'd like it." I handed it to him, told him "God Bless you" and walked away. I don't remember if he even said thank you, I think that he might have, but felt overcome with joy for giving up something as little as a slice of pizza. I know that things like this should be second nature as Christians, but we often see others that are sleeping on the streets or living out of trash cans as the scum of the earth. I know that I am guilty of it. I think though that now that I am committing my life to following the footsteps of Christ that I need to do more. I need to give more. I also know that giving shouldn't be selfish, but I felt such a powerful emotion when I did this.
Anyway, I walked in to my appointment and heard some news that I have been waiting months to hear. I walked out knowing that I did the right thing and was rewarded for it. God is so loving and caring that I know he was watching over me as I gave something to someone a little less fortunate. To make the story a little weirder, as I was driving back home I was listening to something that I like to listen to every day called The Daily Audio Bible. It is a powerful tool that has really helped me to grow in my relationship with Christ. When I was listening to it, I heard a verse from Luke 6:20-26, and I am paraphrasing, blessed are those who are hungry as they will be well fed and then later in the verse it says that those who are well fed will be made hungry. I heard and read that as being, if you get stuck in your "riches" something will happen and you will lose it all, but if you don't have much and give of what little you have you will be rewarded handsomely. I don't know if I am reading into this particular verse because of the experience that I had, but it spoke to me like no other verse that I have ever read. I have had moments where after a verse I can look back at my past and relate, but this one spoke to me. It is truly incredible. I know that as a Christian, every situation happens for a reason, but this one really hit home and made me realize that God is truly trying to communicate something to me. He is obviously calling me to a higher calling and hopefully one day that calling will reveal itself. I can't wait for that day.
I also realized how God is testing me. For those of you who don't know, I quit drinking about 5 months ago and really have been doing pretty well with it. I haven't been faced with too many temptations other than the occasional "Hey, have a beer." Which I politely turn down, but this weekend was one of the biggest tests of my strength, courage and determination. I went to a wedding for a friend of ours, whose parents are very well off. When I went I figured that there would be alcohol available and kept telling myself that I was going to have to be strong, but never knew it would be this difficult. We showed up to the rehearsal supper and there was an open bar. Anything that I wanted for (the best price) FREE!!!!! So many times I could hear Satan saying, "just one, it won't hurt to have just one" but I stayed strong. Then after the rehearsal supper, we were invited to the home of the bride's parents. Did I mention that they are well off and like to drink? We show up and guess what is there too, 22 bottles of different liquors. Many of which I really enjoyed and others that I had always wanted to try. I thought, "OK, I got through the rehearsal dinner without a problem. I can do this too." After about 30 minutes and 3 Cokes I had to excuse myself because it was getting too intense. Now, I have never been diagnosed as an alcoholic or anything like that, but I am really trying to make some positive changes in my life and this is one of them. When I excused myself ,I had to make a phone call to my friend Joe, who is also joining me on the venture of no alcohol. It was encouraging calling him and just talking about it. He made me realize that I have come quite a ways without it and that I don't need it. It was really nice to talk to him about it, since he is the only one that I truly think understands the struggle and I thank him for being there and checking back with me. So I went back in to the party had 2 more Cokes and we left. Again, another HUGE sense of accomplishment. The next day was the wedding and the situation was the same, but I really asked God for strength to make it through without those intense feelings of temptation. He listened and I was able get by with few problems. Big High Five to the Big Guy. We are a great team!!!
Wow, so this was a long post and a glimpse into where I am at right now. I am getting baptized in 2 days and am so excited for what is to come. I am going to have some very dear friends and family members join me and am really pumped to begin my walk with Christ anew. Keep me in your prayers over the next few days as I prepare for this glorious occasion. I haven't been procrastinating with my testimonial, but really haven't found what God wants me to say just yet. I will probably be up until 2 Wednesday morning writing, editing, writing, and editing to get across what I really want to say.
I should let you all get back to whatever who were doing. So as I always end this blog, with something that I stole from someone along the way, and something that is a metaphor for my new journey. Stay Strong, Run Long.
This was right around lunch time and I had brought my lunch with me for the day and just figured that I would eat it after my appointment. But, I really think that God was speaking to me and told me to give this man part of my lunch. I had 2 pieces of pizza, ate one and took the other to the man. When I approached him, I think that he thought he was getting into trouble for being there. I approached him slowly and just said "I have an extra piece if you'd like it." I handed it to him, told him "God Bless you" and walked away. I don't remember if he even said thank you, I think that he might have, but felt overcome with joy for giving up something as little as a slice of pizza. I know that things like this should be second nature as Christians, but we often see others that are sleeping on the streets or living out of trash cans as the scum of the earth. I know that I am guilty of it. I think though that now that I am committing my life to following the footsteps of Christ that I need to do more. I need to give more. I also know that giving shouldn't be selfish, but I felt such a powerful emotion when I did this.
Anyway, I walked in to my appointment and heard some news that I have been waiting months to hear. I walked out knowing that I did the right thing and was rewarded for it. God is so loving and caring that I know he was watching over me as I gave something to someone a little less fortunate. To make the story a little weirder, as I was driving back home I was listening to something that I like to listen to every day called The Daily Audio Bible. It is a powerful tool that has really helped me to grow in my relationship with Christ. When I was listening to it, I heard a verse from Luke 6:20-26, and I am paraphrasing, blessed are those who are hungry as they will be well fed and then later in the verse it says that those who are well fed will be made hungry. I heard and read that as being, if you get stuck in your "riches" something will happen and you will lose it all, but if you don't have much and give of what little you have you will be rewarded handsomely. I don't know if I am reading into this particular verse because of the experience that I had, but it spoke to me like no other verse that I have ever read. I have had moments where after a verse I can look back at my past and relate, but this one spoke to me. It is truly incredible. I know that as a Christian, every situation happens for a reason, but this one really hit home and made me realize that God is truly trying to communicate something to me. He is obviously calling me to a higher calling and hopefully one day that calling will reveal itself. I can't wait for that day.
I also realized how God is testing me. For those of you who don't know, I quit drinking about 5 months ago and really have been doing pretty well with it. I haven't been faced with too many temptations other than the occasional "Hey, have a beer." Which I politely turn down, but this weekend was one of the biggest tests of my strength, courage and determination. I went to a wedding for a friend of ours, whose parents are very well off. When I went I figured that there would be alcohol available and kept telling myself that I was going to have to be strong, but never knew it would be this difficult. We showed up to the rehearsal supper and there was an open bar. Anything that I wanted for (the best price) FREE!!!!! So many times I could hear Satan saying, "just one, it won't hurt to have just one" but I stayed strong. Then after the rehearsal supper, we were invited to the home of the bride's parents. Did I mention that they are well off and like to drink? We show up and guess what is there too, 22 bottles of different liquors. Many of which I really enjoyed and others that I had always wanted to try. I thought, "OK, I got through the rehearsal dinner without a problem. I can do this too." After about 30 minutes and 3 Cokes I had to excuse myself because it was getting too intense. Now, I have never been diagnosed as an alcoholic or anything like that, but I am really trying to make some positive changes in my life and this is one of them. When I excused myself ,I had to make a phone call to my friend Joe, who is also joining me on the venture of no alcohol. It was encouraging calling him and just talking about it. He made me realize that I have come quite a ways without it and that I don't need it. It was really nice to talk to him about it, since he is the only one that I truly think understands the struggle and I thank him for being there and checking back with me. So I went back in to the party had 2 more Cokes and we left. Again, another HUGE sense of accomplishment. The next day was the wedding and the situation was the same, but I really asked God for strength to make it through without those intense feelings of temptation. He listened and I was able get by with few problems. Big High Five to the Big Guy. We are a great team!!!
Wow, so this was a long post and a glimpse into where I am at right now. I am getting baptized in 2 days and am so excited for what is to come. I am going to have some very dear friends and family members join me and am really pumped to begin my walk with Christ anew. Keep me in your prayers over the next few days as I prepare for this glorious occasion. I haven't been procrastinating with my testimonial, but really haven't found what God wants me to say just yet. I will probably be up until 2 Wednesday morning writing, editing, writing, and editing to get across what I really want to say.
I should let you all get back to whatever who were doing. So as I always end this blog, with something that I stole from someone along the way, and something that is a metaphor for my new journey. Stay Strong, Run Long.
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