The Shadow Forest: A Gift

Monday, April 23, 2007

A Gift

I love movies. I love story, images, and music. I love how they blend together to make us all find a common ground. I love that there are certain strands of life that pulse through all of our veins, and I love how we connect to those strands through the interplay of light and chemicals, music and voice, cuts and scenes. It all happens in a dark room as a storyteller burrows down to a place where we feel and think. That is a gift from our Gracious God.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Welcome

Jesus rescued me on September 19, 1995 in Kirbyville, Texas. Since that time, I have made idols in my life that I let take over my mind, passion, and heart. May it never be again! In March of 2006, Miranda Stephenson, a friend from Kirbyville I had not seen since we threw high school graduation caps in the air nearly ten years ago, called me. After catching up for a while, she asked me if I had a church home. I cannot express how this floored me. For the past month, I had given up on life. Many times, I asked God to let me sleep forever. I was finished, devastated, tired, done, finished. The only prayer I had left was to ask for help. I pleaded with him to give me a church home. But I had no idea where to start. I felt hopeless. Jesus, through Miranda, answered my prayer by asking a simple question, "Do you have a church home?" I said, "No." Miranda invited me to her church. She described it as, "A small place with a pastor who is passionate about the Lord, and truth. A place where people love the Lord, and love each other." The moment I walked into the Village Church, in Highland Village, Texas, I felt like I was home. I cannot explain it. The Holy Spirit just spoke to me tenderly. He let me sink into his arms. He let me collapse into healing hands. What absolutely blew me away about the Village was not the pastor, not the music, but the people. They cared about each other. They hugged with an intensity that burst through. They listened to each other with a passion that compelled questions. They cared. I drove away from my first night thanking God for his faithfulness, for hearing my cry, and for the obedience of his daughter Miranda. That night changed my life in a way that is second only to the night I was saved. Since that time, I've had the honor and blessing of becoming a covenant member of the Village. My church is truly my family. God has blessed me with an intimate circle of friends, brothers and sisters in Christ that inspire, challenge, and encourage me every day. Leaders that leave me with stupid grins on my face because of their testimonies, honesty, and care. I could write forever about what God has done in my life, and the beautiful people he lets me know. Some of their stories are links on the Shadow Forest. But now I want to help others. He has done so much for me, but I want to move forward, and pour out all that he has given me into those who are hurting, lost, and mired in darkness as I was. I hope and pray this blog will help do that in some way. Even if it is just a little.

Monday, April 23, 2007

A Gift

No comments:

Who?

Down The Rabbit Hole

Welcome

Movies

Books

Blog Archive