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Topic: Worship (05/03/04)
TITLE: In Your Hands I Summit By B Price 05/06/04 |
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The week came for our trip to San Antonio to attend the Women of Faith Conference. I had planned to attend this conference, with my best friend Ann, for over a year. We were looking forward to this conference because we knew that this was going to be a special week of getting together with other women to worship God. Up until the time we were to leave, so much was going on that I felt Satan was doing all he could to keep me from attending.
My dear husband came down with a cough the week before the conference. (We learned after we returned home that he had broken a rib because of his coughing.) We knew this cough could be dangerous because of the chance of rupturing his aneurysm. The night before we were to leave, my husband got worse. He became extremely sick to his stomach. The last thing I wanted to do was to leave him in this condition. Ann left the decision to go completely up to me, she knew how much I would worry if we left my husband in this condition. I felt this was the beginning of my spiritual battle. I had to let go and place my husband in God’s hands. This was the only way I would be willing to attend the conference so I could worship our Savior and allow Him to work on me.
The time came for us to leave on Thursday morning before the start of the conference. My husband’s wish was for us to go to the conference. I felt this was the right decision. I said a prayer and handed my husband’s condition over to the Lord. The thought that went through my mind was that God was going to test me this weekend. I had no idea at that time how much testing I had to endure.
After we arrived at the hotel, we went to supper then on to the first night of the conference. The conference was everything we had hoped for. The worship was absolutely wonderful, we really felt the Lord moving and touching people. I felt the messages, from the speakers, were really aimed right at me. I knew the decision was right for us to come to this conference. Up to this moment, our trip was uneventful. Little did I know how much that was going to change.
Later, when we returned to the hotel from the conference, we received a phone call from my husband. He began telling me of the events that took place after we had left that morning. He was very concerned about our daughter and the things he was hearing from one of her friends. He wanted me to call this friend and try to find out exactly what was going on before it got out of control. I called this friend and began hearing things that I knew were totally absurd. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt I was in a nightmare and wanted to wake up. I immediately went into a severe depression.
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I knew I was in a safe haven and our loving Father was there to put his arms around me. I knew I had to bathe myself in prayer. Ann and I stayed up until 3:00 a.m. praying over these issues. I felt my heart was breaking; I not only was worrying about my husband’s health, now I was concerned about my daughter’s welfare. The pain was excruciating and the stress was totally exhausting to both Ann and me. I was so thankful that God put this dear woman in my life and we were together in that hotel room. Without the Lord being there and my dear friend praying with me, I wouldn’t have made it through the night.
When we got up, later that morning, we were so tired. We felt we were moving in slow motion. By the time we got to the bus stop, we realized we had missed our ride to the conference. We began praying that God would send a trolley, and He did. No matter how much Satan tried to keep us from the conference this morning, God got us there right on time.. We knew that once again God was in control at that conference. He had our full attention and we were totally worshiping Him. The messages we heard were again hitting us right where we are. The second day on the conference was totally amazing during both the morning session and the concert in the evening.
Our final morning at the conference, I almost could not believe what I was about to witness. There was a light on the other side of the stadium that was pointed at the stage. It seemed that the light was pointed directly at me and God was speaking through that light. I began to realize the things that God wants me to submit to Him. I knew that I had to submit my husband and daughter but also something I had been struggling with for some time. The light was impressing on me a message from God that said, “Sweetie, if you think this light is bright, let me tell you, it doesn’t compare to how bright I am when you stand in my presence. Through me all things are possible. I want you to go on a mission for me. Are you ready to accept?”
I was scared out of my wits with that bright light shining right on me. I had the feeling I was in the presence of the Lord. I swallowed and said, “Yes, I am, Lord.” As soon as I had a sincere heart, God gave me the first story to start working on. Now I write for the Lord as a form of worshiping Him.