Sharing Jesus

Friday night I gave my testimony in front approximately 30 women at a Titus 2 fellowship with the ladies in my church.  It's not easy to sit in front of a group a women who have all eyes on you and spill your guts.  Ladies who I love and adore look mighty intimidating from that angle.  As someone said to me yesterday, giving your testimony of how you love Jesus is one thing.  However, having to share all of the hard stuff surrounding that isn't so easy.  Who really wants to confess the horrible things they've done and the ugly things that have happened in their life to a group of women?


Not me.


But you know, the Lord was so gracious, and He gave me the words to say and the courage to say them.  I don't remember most of what I said.  I asked the Lord for at least two weeks to show me what He wanted me to share, and as I sat down to begin talking, I still had no clue what that was.  I had to trust Him and just open my mouth.


What I want more than anything is for those ladies to have walked away that night seeing the grace and mercy of Jesus.  I want them to see we serve a God who redeems all things, and how truly loving and forgiving He is.  I pray He was glorified Friday night.  I pray they saw Jesus and not me.


Yesterday my sweet friends, Deborah and Ian, had their little girl baptized.  Averie's eyes did not wander from Caleb as he walked her up and down the aisle singing "Jesus Loves Me" after he baptized her.  It was one of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen.  As I watched Averie lock eyes with our pastor as he carried her around the church singing "Jesus Loves Me", I began to wonder if that's what it will be like when we see Jesus.


Will we be so mesmerized we can't take our eyes off of Him?


We should be now.  Our eyes should be so fixed on Jesus that we see Him in everything.  Even the hard stuff.


Watching Caleb carry her in his arms as he sang of the love of Jesus, I saw a picture of what it looks like for Jesus to carry to us.


It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it this morning.  The Lord has carried me through so much in my life.


As I sat there yesterday I began to pray, "Lord, give Averie the want to want You.  Draw her to You.  Give her the desire to turn her heart over to You as she grows."


Maybe one day Averie will sitting in front of a group of ladies in our church sharing her testimony.