The Story Lives On - Part 3

The Lives On Part

I almost didn't go to Missions Extravaganza this year. There is so much going on in my personal life, I didn't know if I could emotionally handle it. I didn't officially decide until that morning. But I had made a commitment to SHINE and to WMU, so I decided to go. And it was hard and draining. Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful and exactly where I needed to be that weekend, but it was still very hard for lots of different reason that I'm not going to get into here.

I was sitting in one of the worship services thinking about stories-- the story of all the women sitting in that room and the stories of the women that have, are, and will make up the  story of WMU as a whole. Then I started thinking about my story and I realized something. This thing that I am going through, this part of my life where I am sitting in the ashes and miserable, this is going to be part of my story. Every day is part of our story, but when we tell our story, there are major points we include. Points where The Holy Spirit was moving in such a powerful way that we just have to jump around and sing praises because we can't possibly sit still. Or points where we cried out to God, asking God where he has gone. I realized this part of my life....this mess and hurt, crying out, and broken....this is going to be one of those major points.

The realization washed over me like a waterfall. It hit me in a very powerful way, but was also cleansing and calming. I have never realized something is going to be a huge part of my story until I came out on the other side. But this part of life....where I am right now....will be a lasting part of my story, it will shape who I am for the rest of my life. I have no idea how it will turn out. But as I was sitting there, I had this vision of me standing on the stage  for the WMU 150th birthday or something (which....btw...I will be 46 at) telling my story and telling this part. I'm not saying this picture that popped in my head is a prophecy or anything. But God gave me this image of my life in 20+ years and I am talking about how God shaped me and grew me through this time in my life. That was unbelievable reassuring.

My story will continue on. I will continue to have times of joy, of sorrow, of hope and of loss. There will come a time where I can talk about this part of my life with peace. I am in the middle of it right now. I can't see where it will go. But that picture of me being able to tell this part of my story was great.