How do you know your life is about to get better?
It’s when you wake up during the night with a repeating line of song in your head . . . “for I’m a part of the family, the Family of God.” And then it starts over again.
It’s when you learn that you really weren’t as happy as you thought you were.
It’s when you witness for the first time in your life genuine Christian behavior.
It’s when you begin to literally count your blessings. . .”a roof over my head . . . and shoes on my feet . . . Thank you Lord for your blessings on me . . .”
It’s when you begin to understand just how small you really are and how little you truly know and understand.
It’s when you begin to learn that the words ‘to surrender’ are not a sign of weakness.
It’s when you finally understand that you should always be humbly grateful . . . for everything.
It’s when you learn that when you accepted Christ into your heart way back in 1966, Christ placed the Holy Spirit within you and that it lives there still helping, comforting connecting you back to Christ.
My life really began to get better when we moved to Lenoir City and we found a Church. But no. I can’t say WE found a Church. God brought us to one. When we moved here from Texas we knew we would have to find a new Church but we didn’t really relish the thought of taking on that task. In Texas we had visited numerous churches. (Even some with security guards on walkie-talkies wandering around during the services. We didn’t go back to that one!) We met preachers, deacons, had home visitations, we endured numerous awkward meetings and conversations before we found one that we were comfortable with.
But when we came here to Tennessee, do you know how many churches we visited before we found our spiritual home?
One.
God brought us to Highland Park. And that was the first time I heard this song . . .
‘I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.
I’ve been washed in the fountain, Cleansed by his blood
Joint heirs with Jesus, as we travel this sod;
For I’m part of the family, The family of God.’
– Copyright 1970 – William J. Gaither
So I am thankful for that. I am also thankful that on this Fourth of July weekend I can celebrate my life in Christ without fear of reprisal.
But before I go, I want to share something with you that Cindy just told me of. Something that she saw the other day that should give everyone pause:
What if you woke up today with only what you had thanked God for yesterday?
3 Comments
Gene
In our human development we have what physicians call “growth spurts”. This usually takes place in the first stages of our lives. We develop the most physically from birth to age twenty.
I cannot get any taller than I was when I was twenty five. Praise God the same is not true of spiritual growth. Paul told the church at Corinth they needed milk because they were not ready for meat. I truly love your description of yourself as a “Christian in Training”. But it seems that we might change that to “Weaned Believer”.
HPBC Author
Thank you sir. I love the milk, I will continue as a ‘Christian in Training’. Something all of us are.
Jane reno
Just love your words so true
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