Yesterday I started with the note regarding the phone message.  After I’d finished the post I called the friend who said she’d be my prayer warrior.  She prayed with me and gave me some sound scriptural advice like remembering to put on the armor of God.  I really appreciated that.  Nothing more came of this.  It was a good reminder to be on spiritual guard.

Last night one of our own men gave their testimony for the first time.  He has been coming to our Celebrate Recovery for about 2 years now.  He’d been part of another one for a couple years prior to that in another part of our state.  Much of his story centered around anger.  It triggered in me so much of the anger I grew up knowing and fearing from dad.  What was really beautiful however is that his story ends with him having made amends for all his choices earlier in his life.  It also goes on to describe how he’s learned to make quick amends for choices he makes in living life one day at a time.  I loved hearing all this.  It was a sad reminder that my dad died a sad man because even though he had his relationship with Christ, much pride remained and crippled him from addressing the mistakes he’d made and the relationships he’d injured.  I am most grateful God and my counselor had me repair this damage with dad prior to dad’s death.

Today Kathy and I leave for Wallowa, OR where she was born and raised.  Her birthday is Saturday and there will also be a family reunion from her mother’s side of the family that day.  They are a fun-loving bunch so we are looking forward to this.  I even get to do some yard work for Kathy’s sis where we will be staying.  For people who know me well, this is the motivation for me to go!

God continues to remind me and awaken me more fully to the reality of sin’s damage and man’s pride.  There are many, many people stuck in their past but crippled to address it out of fear/pride and things just like this.  He continues to remind me to be patient with them not knowing where and who He is working with, but to simply be ready to do the part He  wants me to do when the door opens.  He is the one who takes responsibility for opening  doors.  I want to trust always in Him.