Be my valentine

I guess all He was waiting for was for me to give up. To say, "Here I am Lord, send me." To say something like,"Okay Lord, I'm done living my own plan. take over please." You see, the Lord doesn't MAKE me do anything. He gives me a choice just as He gives you a choice. But I foolishly, time and time again, tell Him my plan, and guide my own life with the Lord on the sidelines. It was time He took the front seat. It was time I give it all to Him.

*

All weekend long I had been in the camp coffee shop/merchandise store, it was crazy. Only a minute here and there to clean up the place, I was basically making drinks the whole time. All weekend long there was a small group of girls that kept coming in, but one of the girls in the group would always stay behind and sit alone. I found a few minutes to go and talk with her every time she came in. I didn't have a goal, I just wanted to be there for her. Well, it paid off. On Sunday I was sitting with her and she told me her story. 

This story was something I could relate to. I understood what she was going through. I was able to give her some scriptures, and encourage her a little. She told me she was on this youth group retreat only because her siblings were with her, she said she got nothing out of the weekend (it was almost the last day of a 5 day retreat), and that she probably wouldn't come next year. So after talking with her that whole weekend, and hearing an amazing somewhat shocking story of this young girls life, I was bummed to hear it. And , after talking a long while, I  didn't even get her name.

*

At CRISTA we have a saying, "When a group leaves the camp grounds at the end of a retreat, we want them to feel like  they left something behind". Meaning the host. We want them to feel like we are family, partnering with them in their mission to further Gods kingdom. That being said, it was

Monday, February 14th. With only a few of the interns working. It was the end of the evening, and with Tuesday being my day off that week, all I wanted to do was go to bed, BRING  ME TUESDAY FASTER!.

The host of the weekend had done a great job making the group part of the family. She had it so an intern could be in their worship service, every service. It was the groups last night, and the host was scheduled to attend. She was pulled away for another reason, and ended up asking two other interns to step in. One of them was me. Like I said, it was the end of a long weekend, I was tired, but still went. I went in not expecting anything. I even sat in the back because I didn't feel like socializing. 

Wow was I wrong. I could speak for hours on the blessing the worship was, or even the sermon, however that is not the point of this post. You could tell I wasn't that only one moved, there were people all over the place praying for one another, crying, even jumping up and down. It was quite moving to watch.

When it came close to the service ending, the speaker asked us to look around and find someone you didn't know, and ask if you could pray for them. Honestly I used to be intimidated by prayer.  I was told once that we read in the Bible that Christ is all things to all men. I was told that when you continue to talk to Him about anything, and all things, you find out who He is to you. I had found that Christ to me, was/is my comforter and friend. and being my friend meant I talked to Him all the time, so praying out loud with a stranger wasn't too far out of my comfort zone.

When he asked us to look around and find someone, I did, and who did I find sitting in the back all by herself? the girl from the coffee shop. This time I was determined to find out her name, and pray with her instead of talk to her. I walked over to this young girl, sat down, and asked her name.......Danielle...... her name was Danielle. I prayed with her, and gave her a small bible with a few highlights, and suggested she should read them. She told me she had just accepted Christ as I was praying with her, and that if she can, she would be coming back. And that is when I started crying.

*

I realized something about this story later on. That girl Danielle was me. Not literally anyway. But I looked at the bigger picture. 

On a holiday everyone recognizes as a day to show someone you love them, Christ decided to do that to me. He decided to use someone with my own name to get my attention, and showed me the rest over time. He told me I was that little girl to Him. He was the one comforting me time and time again. I have an amazing family (both biological, and my brothers and sisters in Christ) that surrounds me, all who are willing to pray with me/for me. 

*

I was being selfish, not expecting anything, yet the Lord still used me, and He gave be one of the biggest blessings of my life. no, not a joke, my life! 

One of the most amazing things about this story, as I write it down I receive the same joy I did while worshiping Him that night. I was so joyful I couldn't stop laughing! That is the sort of joy you can't contain, and you just have to share it with people.

Lord my God.

I sit here reading of a story from you to me,

A story you spoke while in Galilee.

You spoke of what was, and is to come,

You said you would send someone to carry my sin.

 He would would suffer and die, yet rise again.

You said one day you would take your people away,

To live with you in heaven, where forever we would stay.

You said not everyone will go because you've given all a choice,

Those who choose the world, You said You will never know.

You created  the universe with only your words,

You brought me life, and everyone else on this world.

So how can I not choose you? 

It would be foolish of me not to.

Thank you Lord for loving me,

That You gave up Your one and only Son.

That all might have everlasting life,

Through the shedding of His blood.

John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."