AS I was reading other blogs as I love to do- I got on a path that led me to a blog entitled Always in Development and a lovely lady called Shalom Seeker. This questionnaire caught my eye because I made up one similar a few years ago in email and sent it to my friends and some of their responses made me cry, because they were candid in their answers and a few said they did not know where they would go when they die-this was some of my closest friends. Boy, that can grab you and wake you up when you realize close loved ones need to hear the Good News.
Here are her questions and if you read this and feel like answering them please send me a line telling me to come see.
1. When did you come to believe in Jesus? Tell your story! (as long or as short as you like) I came to believe in Jesus when I was about 6 and I vividly remember the day I went forward and made it public and was baptized - I grew up in church and loved growing in knowledge all my young life, then I had a few years or more where I was not walking with the Lord-I turned from him -He never turned from me.
2. What difference has #1 made in your life? In my darkest days, through many trials He has carried me. I truly have felt His love when it was hard to feel love from those around me. I feel like I can tell him anything and He cares. I place the things that matter most to me at His feet and for the most part leave them there-for example my children and grandchildren. I realize that they are truly gifts from Him. I honestly feel He is my best friend- I can't think of any experience good or especially bad that I don't turn to Him now. My thoughts are Pray about it or thank God for it.
3. What is your favorite Scripture passage? Why? I love them all -but my favorite chapter is Psalms 139- It begins with "O Lord you have searched me and you know me- you know when I sit and when I rise-You perceive my thoughts from afar, you discern my going out and my lying down, you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord." So many more precious verses-one I particularly love is "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God How vast is the sum of them. Were`I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand"-Wow-God thinks about us more than the sands on all the beaches!!! It ends with "Search me o God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." That's my prayer.
4. Tell about a time God answered a specific prayer in your life. How did that affect/change you? I prayed for my children all their lives that they would desire to walk with the Lord and that He would be working on precious Christian mates for them. So far-one is married and he is a precious Christian man who loves my daughter and it was all a testimony how that happened- A God incidence that is a long story to share maybe later. This is just one that came to mind because there are so many. I've tried to teach my children to believe the power of prayer.
5. Do you remember a time that God made a Scripture passage especially clear to you? Tell!
When I found myself a single mother of 3 small children with a small income a verse God gave and made real in my life was "Once I was young but now I am old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread"Psalm 37:25 We might not always have what we wanted but we would have what we needed and we would never be hungry.
6. Who has influenced you in your spiritual walk (family, friends, mentor, pastor, authors, etc.)? In what ways? My parents raised me in a Christian loving home, that is a big influence- a woman who has been a spiritual mentor to me is Ms Inez- I love her and thank her. Ladies who I love to sit at their feet for spiritual food are Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Jan Silvous and Joyce Meyer. Since I wrote this I have been priviledged to be in a smaller retreat setting and learn and be blessed by ladies like Ann Downing, Peg Kennedy, Sandra Aldrich and Bonnie Skinner~ I'll keep going back for more!
7. Sometimes we get to share His story with others. Is there a particular story that you want to tell about that? A story I love to share is how He sent an angel to intervene- Let me share- it was early in 2002 and my youngest child was going through a time of rebellion (That is enough to need divine intervention-Can I get a witness?). She decided at the age of 16 she would leave my home where there were rules and curfews and I knew where she was and her friends and expected her to be in church, to go to her Fathers house where rules were looser, curfew was later, he didn't have to know her friends and Church? not at all. I being the close mother I felt I was wanted her home-it was breaking my heart- every phone call was tears and please come home ending in hurt and anger. All I knew was to pray! In the midst of this my Father had a major stroke and we almost lost him. When I finally got her on the phone she being angry with me said she wasn't even going to come to the hospital. I cried and said our fight may be our fight but all her Poppy had ever done was love her. Much later after her aunt went and talked to her and other family members had called her she came-I remember looking down the hall and seeing a little girl with a big chip on her shoulder coming toward us-she went in and was a broken little girl seeing her Poppy laying there. When it came time to leave I wanted to walk her out and she didn't want me to -she thought there would be more begging when at that time I needed her love and she needed mine. We got on the elevator and she said don't start on me- I said cant we just get along right now and the elevator door opened a floor down and a large beautiful young black lady got on, we ceased talking and rode on down. We all got off the elevator and she went to the food area and we were sitting on a bench not saying anything when she came back up and said God had told her to tell us some things. She looked at my daughter and told her everything she was doing and that God was revealing that she should go home. She said there is nothing you are doing that your Mother won't love you-she prays for you. She was very specific and said things only few people could know- she laid hands on us and prayed out loud in that lobby over us and the little girl with the big chip melted right there. We sat there and agreed it was an angel- she went home that night and told her father God had sent an angel. She came home. I left out many personal things said and and details but I hope you see the picture of God coming in human form and speaking words that we needed. I told everyone and even spoke about it publicly and to this day know that God came in the Hospital in the form of a beautiful young black lady.
8. Is there something in your history that you would change if given a chance to?
I wish I had always walked closer with him, I wish there had been more of Him and less of me.
9. What's a vice in your life? Any virtues? ;-D Probably one vice I have is I am over sensitive and sometimes have low self-esteem-are these vices or faults? Virtues are my Faith and I feel great love from my Heavenly Father so I try to show love. I believe strongly in prayer.
10. What's your favorite way to worship God? I love to worship him with music and with prayer and praise for what He's done.
11. If you could possess one (real) talent or gift that you haven't already been given, what would it be and why? I wish I was a good speaker and could play an instrument.
12. What is an important lesson you have learned? How did you learn it? Unconditional love is loving someone for who they are, and not expecting more than they can give. People need love the most when they deserve it the least.
13. What things are you really passionate about? What sets you ablaze? I am passionate about Mercy, because I have received it. I am set ablaze to see someone come to Christ or see someone grow in their relationship with God.
14. What do you love or appreciate about God? That He loves me and I don't deserve it and that He has shown me great mercy and continues to.
15. Where have you be especially effective in serving God? (This isn't prideful; if you've been effective, it's because of His Spirit in you, so really it brings glory to HIM.) I believe I am effective in loving and learning with the Ladies Sunday School class I teach, we are a close group of ladies who have been through alot together and lift each other up. Ecclesiastes 4:9and 12 says " Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who has no one to help him up. A cord of three strands is not easily broken."
I know this was long but its a look inside your self to answer these questions.
Maybe a Heart Check.
Be Blessed!
That weekend we saw neighbors helping neighbors and a community come together for each other. The businesses near my home were hit, a church had part of it's roof blown off. About 12 homes in my neighborhood have complete or significant damage. We were without power for almost two days, but all of that is replacable. Human life is not. This could be a rough spring. I'm so glad I know who holds my future in his hands.
