My Heavenly Father Never Ceases to Amaze Me!!

May was not starting out as a good month. I brought in the new month in my bathtub as I heard tornado sirens outside of the BCM. I was receiving calls from family and friends checking to see if Emily and I were "hunkerin down". My sister-in-law asked us to pray for their house because the waters in the creek behind their nearly 4 year old home were rising fast. They had headed to Maw's house partly in case their home flooded and partly to make sure Maw and Pop had made it to proper shelter. The next morning, our friend Anna asked us to come stay at her house since they have a safe room. We were expected to have more tornatic activity that evening as well. Emily and I packed a bag and made our way to Anna's house on the other side of town. We'd been advised which route to take being that many roads had been flooded. As we were praying our way to Anna's house, my mom called and gave me the most heart wrenching news I'd heard yet. My brother's house had been completely flooded that night and they had lost everything. As we spoke, my brother and his wife were in a boat in their yard collecting items that they treasured. I wanted to get to them and help them but my little VW beetle would not make it down those flooded roads. Neither did I own a boat and we ALL know that I'm not the best swimmer! I felt helpless. The house that my own brother had built with his own hands, not even four years prior, was now holding four feet of water. My brother, a faithful man of God who never fails to provide my family and his church with spiritual guidance and all of the necessities of their lives was in his boat in his front yard as everything he ever owned was either covered in water or floating out toward the road. And there was nothing I could do. The above photos were taken from Roy Woods Rd. on May 1,2010, courtesy of Jessica Byrd.

This past week, my heart has been very heavy. I was unable to do anything to help my family. I am sure I looked like a jerk because I didn't even have words to say and did not talk to them for a few days. I had no idea what to say to them to encourage them and I thought it might be best for me to wait until I had something to say and just give them some space. As selfish as this sounds, I was doing everything in my power not to freak out this week because in two weeks I will be boarding a plane to South Asia and lacked $1150 of my student cost for the summer. I knew that God would show himself faithful but He was making me a little nervous! My college pastor, Robin Popplewell and small group leader, Lesa Roberson, along with many others were praying hard every day and we knew that my funds would be provided.

On Tuesday night, I received an email from Stacy saying that we had sent the wrong Visa application to our travel agent and that we needed to fill out another and send it ASAP! Micah and I filled ours out Wednesday and had them overnighted. Satan is trying so hard to stop what we're going to be doing. That just proves that God is going to do HUGE things this summer in South Asia!!! That night, I read in Acts as I have been the past few weeks. We were advised to read through it and study it prior to the summer. We've also been studying it with my college group at church. God amazes me with His power that is shown so evidently in this book, especially. I pray for revival! He can do it! My favorite part that I've studied recently that has stuck out to me is in Chapter 5 where it talks about how the Apostles were healing people and performing many miracles. In verse 15 it reads, "As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by." WOW! In the margin of my bible, I wrote, "The spirit of the Lord resided in Peter so much that people believed in the power of His shadow!" I want to be that devoted to the reading of God's word and hiding it in my heart that His spirit resides in me to the point of people believing in the power of my shadow!!! How awesome is that??? He is the same God in Acts as He is today as He will be forever!! He can move in us the same way He did the 12 apostles in the early church!! "This Generation...EVERY NATION!!"

This brings us to Friday. I decided to make a few phone calls regarding the support letters I'd sent. At 5:00 after giving Micah his going away present and realizing that I needed to meet Aaron at West Jackson at 5:25 to get to Nicole's wedding in time, I kicked Micah out of the BCM, jumped in the shower and cut my leg shaving. Of course. It's bleeding. A lot. I could not find any bandaids. Finally I run across one, stick it on, grab my makeup bag and my hair products and get in the car. I meet Aaron and make him drive to the wedding while I finish getting ready. We pull up right at 6:00 at the winery where the ceremony has already began. I missed my favorite part-the look on the groom's face when the Bride makes her entrance. This has been my favorite since I was a little girl...long before "27 Dresses"!! It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding! Most likely one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever attended. I'm taking pictures at the reception of the bridal party dancing and as I'm focused on the shot I'm getting of Nicole and Bobby being goofy on the dance floor, this girl backs up from her table and STOMPS my toe with her heel!! :( It's hurting alot but I'm still trying to get some cute shots of the dance floor. A few seconds later I realize that my toe is bleeding. I grab Becca to check it out with me in the bathroom and we come to the conclusion that yes, my toenail will most likely fall off. I texted Micah and said, "some HOEBAG just stomped my toe and it's bleeding!!" [please don't judge me. the word "hoebag" is used in my daily life and usually as a term of endearment. Ask Kaisey Taylor.] He replies, "which one?" so of course I said,"the second one on my left foot!!" Laughter erupted as I read his response, "not which toe! which hoe?" :)

Saturday morning, at 6 am, Legon and I headed to Cookeville. I dropped her off in Gordonsville to spend some time with her mom and I went on for Graduation. My sweet friend Laura was graduating and I would not miss her big day! I got to sit with Megan McIntosh and catch up with her and as soon as Amanda and Laura had marched across that stage. (It began at 10 am and it was 12:30 when they said, "Laura Beth Sewell".) I spent the day with Laura and her family and friends. Laura Sewell always makes me cry with her sweet spirit and encouraging words!! "He's got this!!" After her party I got to see my sweet Ayla, Sarah, Clay and my precious BFF Scott Bess!! After a Bess heart to heart, I headed back to pick up my Legon and then we met up with my long lost friend BETSY!! Of course I greeted her with a mount and then we had dinner at one of the best Mexican restaurants I've ever eaten..in LEBANON...not Watertown, apparently! Legon and I headed home and I was asleep about 2.5 sec. after I walked in the apartment.

Sunday morning...this is where it gets good! I missed Sunday school because I was wiped from all the driving and getting up early...once again, don't judge me! I was sitting there in the pew in the balcony as I usually do and God began speaking to my heart, even before Dr. Lang began his sermon. God laid it on my heart that the best gift you can give to someone is to share your intimacy with Christ. God told me that for Mother's Day, I needed to share with my mother the more abundant life she could have by putting her full trust and in Jesus and following Him with her whole heart. My mom is a believer and her salvation is sealed in Heaven but she does not follow Jesus with her whole heart. Before Dr. Lang had even began the invitation and was still praying, I rose from my seat and made my way downstairs to the alter to pray with Robin. As soon as I approached him, tears began to flow and all I could get out was, "God told me to go talk to my mom today." He knew exactly what I meant and we prayed. I knelt at the alter and just cried out to God that he would give me the strength to say these things to my mother. The words I've wanted to say for years but have never been able to get it out. Words that I wrote on paper last year as I wrote a letter to my parents. A letter that said the word "Goodbye" because I was unsure if their lifestyle would allow them to be alive by the time I returned from Argentina.

After the service, I tried to compose myself but as influential people in my life such as the Lambert and Fowler families came to hug me, the tears flowed and I was unable to even carry on conversation. I sent them a text after I got to my car to apologize and ask them to pray for the conversation that would come about in the next 20 min. I drove to my parent's house and sobbed the entire way. I'm pretty sure "borderline panic attack" was how I described it as I texted Stacy and Micah on the way. As my hand reached the doorknob, Micah texted back, "I'm proud of you." My dear friend has no idea how encouraging those words are every time I hear them. I went in...still crying...and I can't even remember what I said. Robin had prayed over me that God would speak through me and I believe He did because I can not recall much of anything I said. My mom got defensive at first but finally told me that her and dad are looking for a church.

Mom and I spent the day together running some errands. When we returned home at 2:00, I received a text message from a sweet friend who brought tears to my eyes once again as she said,"He's got this!". Her text read, "I told people at church about you and your need....I've got $1000 headed your way if you'll tell me the address. :-)" I could not believe what I was reading!!! I never doubted the power of my Heavenly Father but I also never imagined He would do something THIS big!!! I shared this with my mom and we were floored! I'm so amazed by His faithfulness!! I called Robin soon after because I knew if I told him that night at college worship that I would start crying again and I've already done that enough!! His words were, "See, when we're obedient, He provides!" I believe that with my entire heart!! As I drove to my mom's house that day, God whispered in my ear, "If you want to tell the people of South Asia about my love, you first need to tell your mother." What a MIGHTY God I serve!!!

I know that God will prove himself faithful to my brother and the many other families affected by the floods last weekend. He will provide them with all that they need. Thank you so much for your prayers! God has big things planned for this summer!!! I know He does!!! I can not wait to get there!!!

<3 C