Priceless!

She was dressed in a beautiful fluffy pink dress, little white ruffled socks and black patent leather shoes. At only five years old, she walked shyly up the side aisle to the front of the worship center and stood a few feet away from the worship team. She glanced over her shoulder at her daddy standing near the back, then turned toward the team and began to twirl in circles to the music they were singing.

Slowly, one-by-one, the rest of the children came out of their seats and into the aisles to join her in the front. Some of them joined hands in a circle and danced together, others individually hopped or danced and sang the songs of praise! It was a priceless moment!

Finishing the song, yet realizing the need to continue praising, our worship leader stopped and gently told the people she would take a moment to pick new songs and we would stay in the spirit of praise the children had ushered in! As quickly as she began the new song, they grabbed the hands of their nearby parents and brought them into the dance as well! The spirit of praise spread throughout the gathering and many participated with hearts abandoned!

After the praise time a young mom, then an older mom, exhorted us and strengthened us through their words! And then someone quoted the scripture we had just witnessed. "A little child shall lead them."

She led, all followed and God had His way!

Selah!

What's the story?

Lately I've been reading and studying "Story". One particular DVD by Donald Miller entitled "Let Story Guide You", challenged me with the idea of seeing the Story in my own life and letting it lead me into my future. I understood the concept and clearly saw it in others lives, but I had trouble seeing it in my own. However, recent days have brought some pieces together and connected my past with what I see in the future.

Looking back, my life has been that of being a mom. When my children were little this meant far more than making sure they were fed, clean and clothed. It involved discovering who they were, what gifts and talents they possessed and nurturing their hearts as well as their physical bodies.

I found praying for them was also a significant and effective means of nurturing them. God would draw me into prayer, and almost always He led me to pray for my children. If the days were hectic, and I hadn't prayed, He would awaken me in the night. We would spend an hour or so together and He would help me pray for each child -- always concerned with their character and their training. He often illuminated scriptures that would build them up in their weak areas, and I would pray these for them. It seemed He was continually training my inner eyes and ears to pray into their destinies.

Life threw some definite curves at us and I allowed some of those curves to wreck my prayer life for a season. Over time I moved back into more prayer, but still felt something was missing. Recently, some friends prayed with me and I experienced GREAT breakthrough in my time with God. He restored those places where hurt had still been hiding. With this healing came renewed vision regarding my prayer life.

As a result I can see a new perspective! In recent days many young people have come to mind whom God has placed in my heart and life. I have found myself praying for them in the same way I had prayed for (and still pray for) my children. Scriptures have been flooding my mind for each one and their situations. It seems a floodgate has opened and Jesus is drawing me away with Him again! He has been aiming my prayers at a specific target -- these dear young people.

Now I can see how God is using the story of my past prayer life to guide me into this prayer focus. Only this time it not only includes my children and their spouses and children, but it extends to other sons and daughters God has written on my heart. The great thing about this story is that the Author knows exactly what He's doing and how it's all going to turn out; and I'm completely happy to be a "mom" in His Story!

She's Contagious!

Today I introduced my friend, Gail, to the children at our school chapel. She described for them the details of her journey into faith and meeting Jesus when in 8th grade. Upon giving her life to Jesus she quickly experienced a radical transformation in her heart which resulted in a deep, passionate devotion to Jesus! Having known her for 31 years, I already knew something the kids were just discovering as they listened:

Her passion is contagious!

The definition of contagious is: literally "communicable by contact". That's Gail! Merely carrying on a conversation with her brings out her passion for Jesus. She lives and breathes a deep love for God. And it's not merely words. Her actions reflect her words. It's a beautiful thing to experience! And . . . it gets on you. Or perhaps I should say, it gets in you!

Her example causes me to desire contagious passion! To exhibit continuously the symptoms of an embedded, passionate heart that speaks of Jesus and affects and infects anyone who comes in contact. A contagious faith that causes people to be love-sick for Jesus! And the beautiful fruit of seeing others come to know Jesus!

Thanks Gail, for being my friend and for being contagious!