A little over a year ago an incredibly gifted woman of God wrote this next blog, take time to read it, even if you've heard some of my story. Lauren has a gift with words that I will never know. Also, this is written from a perspective that is not mine so where there are parenthesis added explanations are written by me.
In one of my next posts I will write what happened from my perspective :)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2010
A transformed life.
It all started in a small-town, Colorado coffee shop. A bunch of us girls decided to go grab coffee together after an exhausting first week at Mission Training.
To us, it was just another Saturday. To God, it was the beginning of something beautiful. Little did we know that God was going to invite us in to see and experience His power like we never had before.
Her name is Sara.
And she was working at the coffee shop that day. As we walked in, she noticed our smiles, our joy and they way we carried ourselves with an inner confidence. She later told us that she had seen the power of God within us and knew we had something valuable.
To us, it was just another Saturday. To God, it was the beginning of something beautiful. Little did we know that God was going to invite us in to see and experience His power like we never had before.
Her name is Sara.
And she was working at the coffee shop that day. As we walked in, she noticed our smiles, our joy and they way we carried ourselves with an inner confidence. She later told us that she had seen the power of God within us and knew we had something valuable.
(I even asked them if they were part of a college basketball team. These girls appeared so tall to me, regal even. To add some perspective here, I am 5'11" the next shortest person in my family is 6'2" and the tallest is 6'8" for anyone to really strike me as tall means they are EXTREMELY tall.)
Sara has lived a hard life. A young, single mother. A recovering alcoholic and drug addict. A dancer with a torn up body from years of rehearsals, auditions, and tours. A wandering girl, looking for answers.
Unknown to us, God had been working mightily in her life that past week. From anonymous envelopes of money showing up on her door step to pay the bills, to random lyrics touching the innermost parts of her soul. Sara knew that God was trying to get her attention--as scary as that was to her. Naturally, you can imagine her reaction when a bunch of missionaries randomly walked into her coffee shop that Saturday morning. She knew it was another blatant act from God and something in her heart told her she could no longer ignore it.
Sara has lived a hard life. A young, single mother. A recovering alcoholic and drug addict. A dancer with a torn up body from years of rehearsals, auditions, and tours. A wandering girl, looking for answers.
Unknown to us, God had been working mightily in her life that past week. From anonymous envelopes of money showing up on her door step to pay the bills, to random lyrics touching the innermost parts of her soul. Sara knew that God was trying to get her attention--as scary as that was to her. Naturally, you can imagine her reaction when a bunch of missionaries randomly walked into her coffee shop that Saturday morning. She knew it was another blatant act from God and something in her heart told her she could no longer ignore it.
(There was a paycheck in my mailbox from a contract I had two years before the morning after I "prayed" that if this God of the bible stuff was real I needed 80 bucks. The amount was exactly 80 dollars and the money was categorized under "SPECIAL PAY". Seriously who has a category for special pay? God does.)
And so, as we were leaving the coffee shop, Sara nervously rushed up to us and gave us her phone number. She explained that she couldn't let us leave without asking if she could talk with us.
And so, as we were leaving the coffee shop, Sara nervously rushed up to us and gave us her phone number. She explained that she couldn't let us leave without asking if she could talk with us.
(This was a supernatural experience for me. I was shaking with HOLY FEAR from within. God wanted me to talk to these girl and it felt as if I was gonna get a heavenly smack down if I didn't give them my number. So with no other option other than divine destruction, obviously I gave them my number.)
And so it began.
Our journey with her. Lots of late nights listening to her struggles, her past hurts, her deep questions. Lots of conversations over God's extravagant love for her, what it means to be forgiven, and how being a Christian is more than just saying a prayer.
How it's a transformed life.
It's the power of God at work within you. It's His desires becoming yours. It's admitting you've gone astray and crawling back to His throne of grace. It's less of you, more of God. It's faith like a child, holding on to new mercies every morning, being in awe of the character and love of God.
And somewhere in the midst of all this, Sara began to change. God was grabbing hold of her heart and renewing her mind. We saw her struggle, yet only to be met with His grace. We saw her discover who she was in Christ, a new creation made for His glory. We saw her embrace forgiveness, understanding it better than so many of us.
A while after meeting her, she came over to read us a letter she had written to God. We didn't know what she would write, but told her to be honest and vulnerable. We knew God would delight in whatever she wrote, but had no idea how deep and impactful her words would be.
This is what she shared with us.
I am humbled. What a privilege to watch God mightily work in her life. To see Him reveal such depth to her has built up my faith. I am learning it is God who rescues, not me.
I am encouraged. Since that letter, Sara keeps discovering new things about God and can't seem to get enough. Within a week, she had read multiple books of the Bible and has been teaching me things about faith in God. I am learning from her.
I am refreshed. She hungers for the Word of God much more than I do. Seeing her revel in the truths of the Gospel has made me do the same. I am learning to remember my first love--the saving power of faith in Christ Jesus.
What a honor to watch God's heavy pursuit of Sara. I am so thankful for such an eternal purpose--to be a part of His work here on earth.
Knowing Sara and being a small part of her journey with God makes me excited for the rest of my life. Thailand or no Thailand, God is at work everywhere, all the time. What a joy it is to see Him continue to transform my life, but also the lives of those around me. What a blessing it is to know and serve this great God, with whom all things are possible.
And so it began.
Our journey with her. Lots of late nights listening to her struggles, her past hurts, her deep questions. Lots of conversations over God's extravagant love for her, what it means to be forgiven, and how being a Christian is more than just saying a prayer.
How it's a transformed life.
It's the power of God at work within you. It's His desires becoming yours. It's admitting you've gone astray and crawling back to His throne of grace. It's less of you, more of God. It's faith like a child, holding on to new mercies every morning, being in awe of the character and love of God.
And somewhere in the midst of all this, Sara began to change. God was grabbing hold of her heart and renewing her mind. We saw her struggle, yet only to be met with His grace. We saw her discover who she was in Christ, a new creation made for His glory. We saw her embrace forgiveness, understanding it better than so many of us.
A while after meeting her, she came over to read us a letter she had written to God. We didn't know what she would write, but told her to be honest and vulnerable. We knew God would delight in whatever she wrote, but had no idea how deep and impactful her words would be.
This is what she shared with us.
God,Wow, God.
Who am I? Without you I am nothing. Dead in my transgressions and sins. A follower of my sinful nature and human desires. An object of wrath. A lost hopeless little girl. A wandering creature of darkness. A soul that is always searching, never finding, a soul that is dead. Empty and wanting, lonely, and desperate to feel alive. That’s what I am.
The faith I have is very small, GOD but it is pure. Please, I BEG you! Help me to find the faith of a child. Not doubting or questioning your truth with my polluted mind. God, I know so little about who you are. Show me! I want to know you. I want to experience every bit of who you are.
You are perfect, I know that. And I’m just me, Sara. I’m a sinner, I’ve sinned so much and I will sin again. I am human and therefore innately this way. Thank you, Jesus, for creating me as a human so that I could worship you. So that I could truly appreciate how incredible you are. I am so humbled that you sought me out! YOU PICKED ME! You! The beginning and end of EVERYTHING wanted ME! You said in the Bible, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me". Thank you for revealing yourself to me. Thank you for washing away my sin so that I can talk to you like this, right now. Your grace is incomprehensible.
Your love is amazing, wondrous. You sent your only son, Jesus, down from heaven, to die by crucifixion...the most dreaded, gory, and disgraceful execution ever conceived...all so that I could have a way to know you! And God, you didn't stop there. No way, not you! Then you said, "What more? What else? I want you to depend on me throughout your life on earth. I want to take all of your burdens on my shoulders. I want to take care of you, Sara." What love is that? Not any love I know of on this earth. God, Your love is unfathomable.
I AM YOURS GOD! You are my Savior, I believe that. Help me, God, to make you Lord of my life. I don't even know where to begin. God, come into my soul live right here in my heart...you have shown me that its where you want to be. You sought me out and you trust me enough that you want your spirit in me. I welcome you with a humbleness I cannot explain in words, but that I know you see in my heart. This girl was created for your glory, so here I am. Unworthy and sinful but ready for you. I am not my own! You bought me at a price. And a price no one could possibly measure. I abandon me God, I give who I was to you, and now God I ask that you show me who you created me to be.
I love you, and… I love the way you love me.
Sara
I am humbled. What a privilege to watch God mightily work in her life. To see Him reveal such depth to her has built up my faith. I am learning it is God who rescues, not me.
I am encouraged. Since that letter, Sara keeps discovering new things about God and can't seem to get enough. Within a week, she had read multiple books of the Bible and has been teaching me things about faith in God. I am learning from her.
I am refreshed. She hungers for the Word of God much more than I do. Seeing her revel in the truths of the Gospel has made me do the same. I am learning to remember my first love--the saving power of faith in Christ Jesus.
What a honor to watch God's heavy pursuit of Sara. I am so thankful for such an eternal purpose--to be a part of His work here on earth.
Knowing Sara and being a small part of her journey with God makes me excited for the rest of my life. Thailand or no Thailand, God is at work everywhere, all the time. What a joy it is to see Him continue to transform my life, but also the lives of those around me. What a blessing it is to know and serve this great God, with whom all things are possible.
love love love love love love love!!! so excited to keep reading and learning new things from you! celebrating YOU and all that God is doing in your life!
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