Testimonies

This fall, among alot of other things, I have been leading a bible study group that is studying "Believing God", a Beth Moore Study. It has really been a good study (but then again, I don't normally engage in a study that I don't think is good...I always learn so much, and I LOVE it...and sometimes, I wish I could just do bible study all day long).

Anyway, we have had a very interesting assignment over the last couple of weeks. We have been talking about remembering God, and what he has done in our lives. So, we were to take our age, and divide it by 5, and then start writing your tesitmony accordingly...so, if you are 30, then what happened in years 0-6 that was of great impact to you or where you can see that God was there in spite of the circumstances.....and you continue that through each 5th of your life. Then, after you finish all of that, you put it on a timeline.

I found this project much more interesting as I completed it than when I started it. At first I was like, oh, I don't like this, b/c sometimes you don't like to recall things of your past that are not so pleasant...and you are thinking, I have moved past that, so why bring it up?

However, as I took the information and then put it on a timeline, I was really impressed as I could so clearly see God's thread in my life, for my whole life, even though as a child I was not raised in church. It is amazing how God places people in your life that know Him. Personally, I think often of the people in my life, neighbors, that took me to church when I was a child, and I think, they will never know here on earth, the impact that made on my life. I think often about my job, over the years, in children's ministries, I know we have touched the lives of thousands of children, and I often wonder what impact has been made, and again, for many of those lives, I will never fully know that until I get to heaven.

Also, it was amazing to see on paper just how active God has been in my life, and He is just as busy now as He was when I was younger.....and that is encouraging, like I guess He is not done with me yet!!!!

Anyway, so, yesterday, we took the time in bible study to have everyone share their testimonies, and I am still quite in awe of the women in my group. Many of them have been through very difficult circumstances during their lives, but they shared how God had been with them during that time, and how their relationship with God grew during those times......it is so amazing. I'll bet if you take the time to go deeper with the people in your circle of friends, you will find some amazing stories, just beneath the surface!

So, I'd like to leave you with 2 thoughts:

First of all, maybe you should try to write out your testimony like this. Divide your life into 5 sections, and write down what impacted you during those years, and where God was in your life during that time....then put it on a timeline....I think you will find it quite interesting.

Secondly, if you think you have been through alot of hard things in life, get to know other people, and have them share their lives with you....you might discover rather quickly that life has thrown alot of hardships on them as well, but that God has always been there for them. It is so often easier to see that God was there for you after the fact than when you are going through the difficulty, but He IS always there, and at work, and I think we would all be so much more encouraged in our Christian walk if we would share our testimonies more often of how God is at work daily in our lives.

Enjoying Fall

The last week of October, Joel and I went up to PA to OhioPyle State Park. They have this really cool bike path there that is 20+ miles long, we went 17 miles one day and 12 miles the next day. Would have gone farther, but that bike seat was getting pretty hard by then! Below, you can see pictures along the way..........It was so peaceful and quite, OH MY GOSH, I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!