Sarah Joy started attending my Classical Conversations campus a few years back and our lives have been better because of her. In fact, we love the whole family and each member and we are grateful for them in our lives. Sarah Joy now attends Covenant Prep and her brother Peter attends GIFT where their mom Joy teaches Science. We go to the same church and so we all see each other at church, school and through different ministry and social opportunities.
At Covenant Prep, Sarah Joy has a study hall during the time I
am in the nursery with Hudson and one of the teacher’s sons. She had helped me
out with the boys and lately after we have gotten the boys down for their naps,
we have a chance to talk about things through what she has called Story Time.
It started when I read her some of the Crazy Love book I was reading and she
asked for more. So now I read and then we talk about its meaning and what the message means to us in our day to day lives.
Many kids would never want to
sit and listen to another adult read to them, much less discuss deep thoughts in
complete confidence. She hears my heart (vulnerable and open) and then follows
suit in sharing. I am thankful to God
for our time together as we both enjoy it.
Yesterday when in “Story Time” I read from chapter 7 and 8. We
were on the subject of forgiveness and I described how I had built up sadness which
turned to anger with several people in my life and how I haven’t forgiven them
and how I have even made excuses on why I don’t plan to. Justification is such
a great tool that Satan loves us to use in life. (smile)
Sarah Joy told me about this song and the story behind it
and this morning at 3 a.m. when I came to check my e-mails, I found the video
on it, which I’ll share now.
The story behind the song
And now that you've seen that you want the real video of the song with the words, right?
Matthew West - Forgiveness
Good
Huh? Anyways, so now if you have read this far and watched the videos you are
at least 8 - 10 minutes in and so I'll try to wrap up quickly.
Everything
that happens, happens for a reason and all of it for the Glory of the Lord. He
works all things together for good, and it is so cool when you can see Him
take completely unrelated things and see the string of God's sovereign
providence though events and conversations. It's so awesome to see how
something that even started on the opposite side of the world can make a
difference in the life of someone they have never met and then that is passed
on and so and so. Last night on the couch at church, I was able to share some
biblical truths with a friend going through some pretty difficult times and it
was with complete confidence through experience and the Holy Spirit that I was
able to talk. The exact things I said were the same things that God had been
impressing on her through other ways. She was just like me and getting hit over
the head with the Lord's staff and given direction on how to believe (The
Bible) and how to think (new realizations/ connections) and how to act (taking those
realizations/connections and putting them into practice on a daily and sometimes minute by
minute basis). How cool is that?
So
nothing came as a surprise or wasn’t foreordained as part of your life. He knew
every step of your day and my day yesterday and he has that string of cool
connections and “Ah ha” moments happening and working around the world and in very
real and specific ways.
I
am on an on-line cancer group and this one woman recently asked how fast could her
cancer grow and spread. She was obviously worried and scared. She hadn’t gotten the results back from her
tests and things were uncertain. Others and I encouraged her to focus on the
here and now and what she could do, etc… I don’t know if it helped her or not, but how
cool that someone that I don’t even know and have no connection to; that God
can use my experience and others to reach out and help this woman. I am amazed by God and now thinking about my
connections and how I need to go and forgive some people.
What
connections is God showing you? What are you being hit over the head with? What does He want you to do today for His
Glory? Without recognition for yourself, but to show that He can be magnified?
God took a terrible tragedy through two girls dying in a car
wreck to have this woman’s heart changed where she now helps people around the
world learn about drunk driving and forgiveness. This story leads to Matthew
West writing a song and then touching others through it to better relationships
and obey the Lord for their benefit and His glory. How cool!
What connect are you a part of today? How can you be used?
Do you have a Sarah Joy in your life? Do you have a friend on a couch? Do you
have a book that He is speaking to you through? Think about things today and
the connections and you’ll see the Hand of God.
Blessings,
Karri
Best post ever, Karri! Bless you.
ReplyDeleteGail