...there was a break in the clouds.
This morning's worship service at church was amazing.
First off, during Sunday School, we had our ground breaking service for our ginormous youth building we're putting up. We are SO EXCITED about this building going up, because it will be used as a tool to reach over 7,000 area youth (our youth group averages about 100-150). It will be a great place for youth to hang out with their friends, play video games, drink coffee, play basketball, and grow closer to their Creator. There are so many students in the area that don't have a place where they feel they can belong, and they constantly get kicked out of area restaurants and coffee shops b/c of their age. Please remember this in prayer, as it is a HUGE undertaking.
After Sunday School, we went in to the service feeling refreshed. This is rare with all of the stress Matthew and I have had with his paperwork (he is STILL not allowed to work till the government renews his work permit). After a wedding we attended yesterday, we've been at each other's throats less. The father of the bride spoke, and told us it isn't about 'hoping to have a good marriage', it's about DECIDING to have a good marriage. It's a constant battle to choose not to respond harshly to a sarcastic comment, or to choose to get tasks done around the house without even being asked. It's all about the choice. It's a choice to love unconditionally or build up walls. We felt like we've been losing that battle. It's easy to get frustrated when things aren't going the way they should be, right? Not a good excuse.
This morning during service, Pastor purposely placed worship at the end of the service so anyone who wanted/needed prayer could come forward. We realized that we have only given bits and pieces of our whole mess to God. We needed to surrendur it all. SO we sat down beside our Pastor (who also did our pre-marriage counseling) and told him what's been happening. He prayed with us, and I felt like blinders were taken off of my eyes. I'm afraid of not being taken care of. Lately I've been struggling to make decisions about everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. And I've been putting the entire stress of providing for the two of us on my shoulders. Pretty stupid when God has always taken care of us financially (even when neither of us had a job!).
It amazes me that God deals with all of our junk individually and collectively, and still loves us. Knowing the Lord does not guarantee that bad things will not happen to you. Look at all of the people in New Orleans, and those that lost loved ones on 9/11. I'm sure plenty of those people know the Lord and seek Him out daily for His provision. I can only imagine what they are feeling right now. But God is sovereign... and He promises to calm the storm inside of us, even when things seem impossible around us.
I'm not really sure why I went into detail about my marriage. I know it's 'out there' for anyone to read... but I trust there is someone out there that needed to hear what's on my heart.
If you are interested in hearing our pastor's sermon from today (it was REALLY good), go to http://www.willmarag.org/ and click on 'sermons online'. It's not been posted yet (I just checked), so wait a few days and click on the 9/11/05.
First off, during Sunday School, we had our ground breaking service for our ginormous youth building we're putting up. We are SO EXCITED about this building going up, because it will be used as a tool to reach over 7,000 area youth (our youth group averages about 100-150). It will be a great place for youth to hang out with their friends, play video games, drink coffee, play basketball, and grow closer to their Creator. There are so many students in the area that don't have a place where they feel they can belong, and they constantly get kicked out of area restaurants and coffee shops b/c of their age. Please remember this in prayer, as it is a HUGE undertaking.
After Sunday School, we went in to the service feeling refreshed. This is rare with all of the stress Matthew and I have had with his paperwork (he is STILL not allowed to work till the government renews his work permit). After a wedding we attended yesterday, we've been at each other's throats less. The father of the bride spoke, and told us it isn't about 'hoping to have a good marriage', it's about DECIDING to have a good marriage. It's a constant battle to choose not to respond harshly to a sarcastic comment, or to choose to get tasks done around the house without even being asked. It's all about the choice. It's a choice to love unconditionally or build up walls. We felt like we've been losing that battle. It's easy to get frustrated when things aren't going the way they should be, right? Not a good excuse.
This morning during service, Pastor purposely placed worship at the end of the service so anyone who wanted/needed prayer could come forward. We realized that we have only given bits and pieces of our whole mess to God. We needed to surrendur it all. SO we sat down beside our Pastor (who also did our pre-marriage counseling) and told him what's been happening. He prayed with us, and I felt like blinders were taken off of my eyes. I'm afraid of not being taken care of. Lately I've been struggling to make decisions about everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. And I've been putting the entire stress of providing for the two of us on my shoulders. Pretty stupid when God has always taken care of us financially (even when neither of us had a job!).
It amazes me that God deals with all of our junk individually and collectively, and still loves us. Knowing the Lord does not guarantee that bad things will not happen to you. Look at all of the people in New Orleans, and those that lost loved ones on 9/11. I'm sure plenty of those people know the Lord and seek Him out daily for His provision. I can only imagine what they are feeling right now. But God is sovereign... and He promises to calm the storm inside of us, even when things seem impossible around us.
I'm not really sure why I went into detail about my marriage. I know it's 'out there' for anyone to read... but I trust there is someone out there that needed to hear what's on my heart.
If you are interested in hearing our pastor's sermon from today (it was REALLY good), go to http://www.willmarag.org/ and click on 'sermons online'. It's not been posted yet (I just checked), so wait a few days and click on the 9/11/05.
posted by Cristina | 6:31 PM
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