When I was reading through Matthew, God showed me Jesus in clear ways I have never seen before. I've read and heard about these things countless times growing up, but never in the way He revealed them to me in my daily dates with Him.
I have never, ever read the Bible like I have these past two weeks. Never. I've been a Christian for over 11 years. He has cut open the eyes of my heart on my dates with Him. I've never met with him like this. I drive home in anticipation over our talks. I have a standing date with God...haha. Amazing. The more I get to know him, the more I shed of pretense. He is just not the person who puts up with it. The more real I am before His throne, the more Grace He shows.
Anyway, in reading Matthew I wrote down five things about Jesus.
Jesus:
1. Is firm/Confrontational when needed
2. Requires abandonement of anything but Him/Complete, consuming devotion
3. Powerful
4. Lives by the Spirit and Prayer
5. Merciful
It seems like these five things populated Matthew. In different ways, and different stories, this is the figure that emerged out of the canvas to me.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Who?
- Kent
- Flower Mound, Texas, United States
Down The Rabbit Hole
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.
Movies
- Braveheart
- City Of Angels
- Crash
- Dead Poets Society
- Finding Neverland
- Gladiator
- Good Will Hunting
- It's A Wonderful Life
- Lord Of The Rings
- Pride And Prejudice
- Rocky
- Star Wars Saga
Books
- A Sacred Journey
- A Severe Mercy
- Pilgrim At Tinker Creek
- Pride And Prejudice
- The Journey Of Desire
- When People Are Big And God Is Small
No comments:
Post a Comment