Here
we are, 1/3 of the way through 2014. How is this possible? I feel like time
just keeps pickin’ up the pace. Everyday goes a little quicker, a little
faster. Opportunities come, times change, people grow, life happens. But with
all of this rapid movement, do I have a designated time to pull away from all
of this and just be with God? Read His words, praise Him and thank Him for
being God no matter what I’m facing… Through every good and every bad, God is
still God and God is still good.
The beginning of this year started out rough
with Luke and I ending our relationship. And the first of Grandpa’s birthdays
celebrated without him. Needless to say, we serve a God that loves us enough to
care about even our tiniest hurt, so He’s been doing some crazy healing in my
heart and in my family’s. On March 2, I went to The Chapel in Tarpon Springs
where Pastor Q taught me this:
In
James 1, the 12 tribes followed Jesus but were tortured and beaten for doing
so. But because of this, the Gospel was spread throughout the land. James 1:2
“..when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” Joy
comes from the delight we have in knowing who the Savior is, no matter the
circumstance.
James
1:3 “..know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Perseverance: the ability to remain under.
>>God
uses trials to build the strength & ability in me to remain under who He
is, therefore, being the Madison I am called to be<<
Testing
always precedes advancement
“When
He sees that I’m not attached to anything or anybody more than Him, He’ll give
me more to oversee”
---
Ok,
so embrace the hurt, don’t bury it. God will use it. And oh boy, has He ever.
It
seems like since I sat through that sermon, things have really grown. Rapidly.
Opportunities have come up that can’t be explained anything short of God’s
doing. In April, alone, I’ve had the opportunity to tell big crowds of people
about the hope and peace of knowing Jesus Christ throughout cancer.
(Philippians 4:7 “You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we
can understand.”) He’s taken B.A.L.D., from our last blog post, to a whole new
extreme that I definitely did not see coming. And there’s now a magazine and a
website with His name on it. I will
never be a Jesus-down-your-throat-shover, but I will follow His greatest
command –to love. And with that, I want to love on people and show the light of
Christ to those who are stuck in a dark place, whether it’s because of cancer
or not. There’s a hope and a peace to get us through- that was found in the
presence of my Savior. Jesus.
“When
did love become un-consuming?
When
did love become unmoving?
Forget
what the world has told me.
My
Love, my Father of Love, you can have me.
I
will never look back, so Jesus,
Here’s
my heart” –Sidewalk Prophets
Please
be praying with the next few speaking events coming up- the people listening.
“My
goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they
my have the full riches of complete understand, in order that they may know
Christ.” Colossians 2:2
And
for my words to be His. (The next speaking event will be the Relay for Life at
Palm Harbor University on Friday, May 2! Come hang out if you have an open
night)
“May
the God of hope fill me with all joy & peace as I trust in Him so that I
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Just
a quick cancer throwback- Thank you to EVERYONE who prayed for, over and with
me during cancer. I truly, really know that it is because of those prayers that
I am healed. And it’s because of those prayers that cancer, chemo and radiation
was way easier than it should’ve been. I’ve gone through my cancer folder in my
iPhoto and reading through all of the screenshot texts and Facebook messages
just made me thank the Lord like crazy for every single person that encouraged
me through. I wish there was a deeper word for thank you, but for now that’s
all I got! Just know you are SO appreciated! I was reminded of the power of
prayer and encouragement when I went to visit a friend in the hospital a couple
weeks ago. He had been in a coma from a motorcycle accident, but because of all
the prayer pouring into this guy and his family, the doctors have been ecstatic
about his recovery. As of today, we’re almost 3 weeks out from the date of his
accident, and Josh Mueller is makin’ his way back to his family & friends.
Praise God!
More later,
just couldn't give out all my secrets at once :)
MM
