Today is my first day to be fully awake to the fact I am alive and filled with God’s Holy Spirit.  It seems I ought to be ending this sentence with an exclamation mark, but I need someway to express the depth of this statement.  Galatians 2:20 says:  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  I now realize the truth of the part “I no longer live”.  That damaged human spirit I have been wanting rebuilt all these years is now replaced.  This is what is so incredibly amazing to me. Thank you Jesus!

Last night was a night of tests.  It started with Kathy texting from Oregon where she has been all week with her sister.  I was responding to the text when my phone froze.  The keyboard on the little screen disappeared and I could get the screen to do nothing.  I dropped my phone in my pocket and headed to church for Celebrate Recovery.  Upon arrival I had several people to talk to arranging my being gone for a couple weeks visiting relatives in California (my two sisters–Bonnie and Alice).  I was going to make a list of the songs we were singing from my phone but I couldn’t access anything.  I went in to the sound guy to get the songs from him I’d forwarded last weekend to find the entire sound system was down and we wouldn’t be able to do any of the arranged songs.  We also wouldn’t be able to do the testimony as it was a video testimony.  So, as we started, I called everyone up to the front as we do, announced the problem and prayed.  I said we weren’t there to do anything but thank God, and turn this night over to the Holy Spirit’s leadership.  We sang choruses and hymns most everyone knew without any accompaniment. One of the men who had been experiencing many home crises in his family’s life was present.  He had redone his testimony and had it on his phone.  He volunteered to share it.  As the evening ended I had one lady come up to me telling me how a newcomer to us last night had come feeling very down and depressed.  On her way to Deer Flat she’d been listening to a CD of older songs and then our worship was an almost repeat of them except it was live persons now singing them with her.  She was so grateful!  My share group was so touched by the testimony.  We had a newcomer in it who had been abused sexually as a child and so had the one giving his testimony so it resonated with this newcomer.  God’s timing is perfect and His leadership is also perfect.  How often I forget this.

As I got home, my phone started working and it is fine this morning.  I think God just wanted a moment where our only attention was on Him which is what we intend each week, but last night in a moment of desperation and I was reminded that no technology, no work of man is ever to replace the work of God.  I want my work to be only in harmony with what God has planned.  This morning, in less than an hour I am meeting with a gentleman who has been coming to our men’s step study.  He is doing his inventory with me which is one of the toughest steps to do–come clean about every hurt, hang-up and habit dominating your life. This man’s story is much like my own.  In times past I would be most uptight having to listen to my own story coming from someone else.  I would be trying to steel my own emotions so I wouldn’t lose it.  Today however, I go as a child of God and coming along side another one.  I remember that “I no longer live–Jesus Christ now lives in me.” I know God will be present as He already is.  Praise His Holy Name!