What a week. Last week at this time I was walking into the Dome for my start of NAYC 2019, I had to work Wednesday so I missed opening night. What a crazy weekend it turned out to be, crazy but awesome. One thing I found out I’m to old to be staying out past midnight for sequential nights in a row, it took me about three days to recoup and get back to normal.
But mainly I came away from last weekend feeling beyond blessed. One we were blessed with great weather, the humidity decided to vacate the city for the weekend which made it bearable for all the 3,000 plus young people and youth workers to walk around the city without melting into a puddle or having a heat stroke after a block. It allowed my brother, who has MS, to be able to still function after walking to the Dome.
I was blessed to be able to work my schedule to be able to attend Congress, my first time ever. To join in with people of like mind worshiping and building foundations for a stronger walk and relationship with God. Amazing!!
But mainly I was blessed to be able to experience the love and mercy of a God who forgives…regardless. In Psalms 32:1 it states, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin covered”. I am blessed to have my transgression forgiven. I was raised in church, I attended church when the doors where open, my family is in church, and I come from a strong background of faith believers. My grandfather was a minister, my brother is a minister, in my dads family I am fifth generation Pentecost…I had a strong foundation.
Regardless of how strong your foundation is, it sometimes shakes. When a earthquake shakes the earth, buildings shake and some crumble. They may have met the codes, been reinforced, and had the newest mechanisms that guaranteed security; yet they still crack and fail when the earth quakes. Though I had a strong foundation, and continued to sit on the pew at church when the doors where open, my soul was shaken and I strayed from the roots of my foundation. I became off kilter, started leaning like the Tower of Pisa toward things that were not beneficial to me or my walk with God. I didn’t wander completely away, because deep down I knew where my strength, refuge, and sanctuary were. I knew to much to leave; but I was lured away by seeking to be accepted and to have someone love me. What I failed to realize is that in seeking that I was walking away from the purest form of love that has ever been given to humankind.
In John 3:16, it says “For God so loved the world, that he gave is only begotten Son” and Romans 5:8 states, “But God commended his love toward us, in that when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Lucky for me, it doesn’t have an expiration date and his Love continues through all transgressions and sin is covered (Psalms 32:1). I started my ‘best self” goals about two and a-half years ago, I knew changes had to be made in my life if I was ever going to be where I needed to be in my walk with God and reach my best potential — spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally. Was it instantaneous? Definitely not. I still had lapses, I still made choices that were not in my best interest, but God stayed faithful.
This past weekend had so much that happened. Miracles, restorations, and forgives. Prior to the weekend there were blasts going around Facebook that was weighing peoples “sins” and how they felt about how individuals from the movement were acting. What many fail to own up to is that they too are sinners. Sin is sin, regardless of how you try to whitewash it and make levels of what is bad and what is ‘ok’ sin. 1 John 5:17 states, “All unrighteousness is sin; and there is a sin not unto death”. Next time we try to maximize what someone else is doing and try to condemn them, remember that all unrighteousness is sin…and you may need to check yourself prior to blasting others.
I love Matthew 5, the blessed chapter. Blessed are the meek, blessed are they that mourn, blessed are the merciful…and it goes on, for they shall inherit! God’s plan is better. I am blessed beyond measure. I have had so many seasons in my life and situations that could cause one to run; but as I said earlier I know Who my refuge is. I keep faith that in the end I will win. I am not perfect, I still fail and do not always make the right decisions. I want 1 Samuel 23:21 to ring true of my life when Saul is realizing his favor “blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have compassion on me”. I want to be able to have compassion, and remember without fail Psalms 66:20, “Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me”, and compute it to others. Without God’s mercy there is no telling where I would be…I am blessed beyond measure.
Until next time…ERM