The Family of God

I told a friend of mine yesterday that this past weekend was the best weekend I think I have ever had... which is saying a lot, because here lately my weekends have been packed with fun stuff. This weekend definitely outweighed them all though. I wrote last week about the tent revival at Joseph's church, Christ Family Church in East Nashville, but I wrote too soon, because now I have more to say about it! Friday night was so cold, but so awesome. Bro. Pruitt, the pastor, had asked my me and my sisters to lead worship, which was fun, but it was especially fun because Joseph preached Friday night too! I love working together like that. So after we sang, and my feet had gone numb, I wrapped my legs up in a blanket and listened to him preach (it was only like the third time I had heard him!) and he did SO good. I was so proud. He preached about having a relationship with the Lord that is bought, not borrowed from someone else. He preached his heart, and I was so proud to see the Lord work through him. Many lives were touched Friday night.

Then, this really cool thing happened Saturday called "I slept in and didn't leave the house until after noon." That never happens. Never. My family had been invited to sing at a benefit Saturday evening in Bowling Green and it was a great time of fellowship. When we got home, we sat on the couch and watched "Secondhand Lions." Its been months since we watched a movie together. That was fun.

I didn't do any of my homework though (just thought I'd throw that in there).

However, Sunday was the best by far. We had a lot of families out Sunday morning because all the kids are on Fall Break and on vacation and things like that, and I was disappointed as well as a little discouraged because Joseph was coming to preach at our church on Sunday night and I wanted people to be there. Our Sunday school lesson, though, was on loyalty and while I started out the lesson thinking to myself that if people were more loyal to the church and the Lord, then they would start their vacations on Monday instead of leaving us hanging (soapbox) God reminded me of a verse that I had read just a few days before from Isaiah 40. The verse tells us that we should first encourage one another, but that in the end, the Lord is our most faithful friend. He will "never leave us nor forsake us." What a good reminder!

I went to CFC on Sunday afternoon with Joseph and watched him baptize his cousin Phillip. I love baptisms. I love them so much I can't hardly stand it.

Then we came back to Hope for the Sunday night service, and Joseph's cousin Brennan, who is three years old, rode with us. I laughed so much on that trip. I love kids, I love their curiosity and their innocence. He told me he wanted a truck like mine that had a stick in it so he could go fast. 

And Sunday night we didn't have a small crowd. Joseph's family came to hear him preach and it felt good. Because no matter what building we are in, the family of God is the family of God and it feels good to be in service with God's children. I felt really complete Sunday night having everyone together like that. It makes me look forward to Heaven, where we will all be together forever. I can't wait!

Love Love Love

One I love,
Two I love,
Three I love, I say;
Four I love with all my heart,
Five, I cast away;
Six he loves me,
Seven he don't,
Eight we're lovers both;
Nine he comes,
Ten he tarries,
Eleven he courts,
Twelve he marries.
-Mother Goose

I'm so glad the Love of Jesus isn't so fickle. He loves us all unconditionally, so much so that he gave his life for our sins so that we would not have to suffer death, but rather that we would have a promise of eternal life with Him. Its good to know Jesus.

Oh Grave Where is thy Victory?

It seems as though... nevermind.

This year has been full of... nevermind again.

My family has experienced a lot of sorrow this year.... nope.

You would think that here, in this moment, after everything that has happened in my life.... no.

Death is not something that is easy to write about. No matter how many times it happens, no matter how much I wish I could convey to you how it makes me feel, blogging about the death of loved ones is never easy. I never have the right words, I never feel good about what I have to say, yet it is something I have felt the need to do a lot in the past few months. When Bro. Burgett died, I wanted to share with the world how much I thought of that great man of God. When Amanda died, I wanted to share with the world how much I regret not knowing my own cousin better. Now, here I am again, and in this moment, I have nothing to say. But I want to say something. So I will say this: There is no greater reassurance and peace than that which comes after the death of a saint of God. As the good book say, "Oh grave where is thy victory? Oh death where is thy sting?" Because I know the man who conquered death and the grave, I have a hope that those who do not know him do not have. I have been blessed to share this life with others who have the same hope.

I am sad that Bro. Chet Morrison, my great uncle, my grandmama's brother, the pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ, has left us. But I know Heaven is rejoicing and he is happy there. It is great to know Jesus and to feel not the sting of death.