A day away, that changed my life....

 We entered the church and there were about 100 women there. We walked to a row of chairs and sat down.  I was nervous. I didn't really know what to expect. 

  A woman walked up on the stage there, and introduced herself and then proceeded to lead everyone in songs that were in a pamphlet that was handed to all of us at the door when we arrived there. The songs were really beautiful, and the women there were singing with all their hearts. I was uncomfortable at first, but quickly became enveloped in a peace and presence I wasn't familiar with . These women were singing to the Lord. It made me cry. I was so embarrassed, to be crying. I didn't understand  exactly why I was crying. My lady friend handed me some tissues, and said, "Its okay, don't be embarrassed."

  After 3 songs, a lady walked across the stage and started speaking. I cannot remember today exactly what she was speaking about. I just felt that something was happening to me. I felt that God was using her to speak to me about my life somehow. I also felt He was saying things to me. Many things. 

 This had never happened to me before. The essence of what God was making me realize was, that He knew all about me, my whole life, EVERY detail. He loved me and saw everything that was going on in my life at that time. He knew my way of living, that I was living a life without any acknowledgement of  Him. 

  That whole day, I cried. I just kept feeling a presence and a comfort I had never experienced before. I was humbled, because I knew the type of person I was. I spoke Gods name a lot. I used it a lot as a swear word. I had very crass speech. I was hardened. But that day, God moved into my life like I could never have imagined. 

He brought up my bitterness toward my husband, and then somehow, He gave me a different look of him. It made me cry. And it  took all the bitterness away instantly! I can't explain how God did that, he just did!  This happened with a number of issues that was going on in me.  It was, I believe God doing an overhaul on my heart.

     Later that day in the church, the speaker had us write down 3 things we would give to God. I wrote down my husband, my marriage and my life. We then ,each walked up to the center of the church and put the papers in a large metal container. Then the speaker lit up the papers and burned them. That was just a symbol of us sending our prayers up to God. 

   It was a day of great surprise for me. Nothing I ever saw coming. God had plans for me and I left the church that day, with Jesus as my Savior, and  a new beginning for my life. I had no idea where God would lead me, but I had a sense of hope, for the first time, in Someone other than myself. 

I was willing to give God all those things I couldn't figure out. I felt I had nothing to lose, and possibly everything to gain.  

   The days ahead would be many things, there were new realities that I would face.  Some  of them good, and some of them really terrible; but God knew this before hand and He was there with me through them all.

 The overhaul of my heart  was the  one reality I had to face, and He was just getting started.... 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11