Scripture Memory Celebration Trip - Part One!

At the Celebration event I attended this weekend, one of the things Mama Beth shared was her concern that so often when we hear a Word from God, we so quickly start thinking "so and so really needs to hear this!" and whether it's via blogs or twitter or FB (or anything else) we just start passing everything on before we allow the truth of what was said to be planted in our own hearts. You can count me guilty of that! Maybe not passing everything on, but certainly reading the Bible with the youth group in mind, etc. instead of reading with the focus squarely on allowing God to feed my heart and speak truth to my heart. So before I started telling my story from this weekend, I wanted to make sure I allowed at least a little bit of time for the truths of it to sink deeper into my heart. But now I'm ready!!!

I'm breaking this up into parts because otherwise it would be the longest blog post ever AND I don't have that much time today. Neither do you! So in parts it is. There is so much I want to share with you all. I'm praying even now as I type this for the Holy Spirit to help me put it all into words you will understand. And I'm praying you like details because apparently I do!

I woke up early Friday morning and my longtime prayer partner Lisa picked me up to take me to the airport. I got there and checked in and waited for my flight with no problem. Have I mentioned to y'all (I did just get back from TX, so I can say y'all) that I've never flown anywhere alone before in my life except for a one way trip to Portland where Lowell met me at the airport? This was a big deal for me to be going on a trip like this by myself. I wasn't concerned about the flying, but I had been praying a lot about finding my way around Houston in a rental car without getting lost. God really convicted me when He said to me "If I've gone to all this work just to get you there, do you think I'm not going to GET YOU THERE???" I was clinging to Isa. 30:21 "Whether you turn to the left or to the right, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying "This is the way. Walk in it." Trusting Him to lead me and GET ME THERE!

It was fun to get a phone call in the airport from my new friends Yvonne and Bethany (both from the valley here) so I knew that even though we hadn't met in person yet, they were there and waiting for me! Yay! (Do you see now why I'm going to need several posts to tell this whole story?????) SO. All 8 (yes EIGHT!) passengers were on the first plane waiting to fly when the attendant got on the speaker saying we were going to be delayed about 30 min while maintenance fixed a switch in the cockpit. I overheard the co-pilot explaining to her that we could have flown without it, but he and the pilot wouldn't have been able to hear each other. God immediately started speaking to me about how important it is for me to be able to HEAR HIM. If I'm not hearing Him or sensing His presence, it might be worth stopping some other stuff (like ministry!) to get whatever is wrong fixed. Lesson #1: Make sure I can hear the pilot. (Luke 10:39 "She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.")

Once we were finally in the air, at one point we were flying through some clouds and God brought to my mind how sometimes in life I can't see where in the world God is taking me. Looking from my perspective it might even look like we're not moving at all! But I have to trust that , number one, we ARE moving, and number two, God knows exactly where He's taking me. Lesson #2: Trust God to lead me, even when I can't see a thing. (Jeremiah 10:23 "I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own. It is not for man to determine his steps.")

OK… I'd better stop for now. See what I mean? God had already started speaking to me and we hadn't even gotten to San Francisco yet! J May you listen to Him as He leads you today… He loves us so very much.

Y, Melissa

You can keep reading PART TWO here!