As I began my worship time this morning and journaling, I had to stop several times and thank Jesus for His never ending kindness and love. It just exuded forth yesterday in several of the counseling sessions giving Light to darkness that has prevailed for some folks way too long. Experiencing this, and getting to be part of it, I just can’t help but shed tears of great JOY!

As I read my devotional following this journaling, its message cinched it all. It was built from the verse Psalms 23:6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. As I read this and the accompanying message, I was nudged to take a look at the songs we will be using tonight in Celebrate Recovery’s worship. The first one is a favorite of mine–How Can I Keep from Singing. God was telling me to bring this devotional message to tonight’s worship and add it to this song.

I lived so many years not knowing/believing this deep, deep love of God was real for me. And, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do anything good enough to “make it happen”. Then, the time came when I began to awaken to the truth that God’s love is just what this verse says: it will accompany me all the days of my life and it has been doing just this. Man’s cruelty from abuse in childhood years was used by Satan to try and destroy my belief in God. But, God turned all of this into wonderful lessons of LOVE which can now be shared with others who presently hurt and struggle to believe.

Isn’t this simply AMAZING?!!