This past weekend, I attended the Women of Faith conference in Pittsburgh. It was a wonderful time of worship and focusing on God with 8,000 sisters in the faith of all denominations. The speakers gave incredible testimonies of God’s grace in their lives and made it clear that every one of us in that stadium has a story – a story of God’s grace, love, and healing. We each have a story to tell of God working in and through our lives that we were given to share with those around us.I remember looking around at the thousands of women there at one point during the conference and thinking, “every one of us is messed up somehow. Not one of us has had a perfect life or lives that fictitious better-than-me life we all assume everyone else has. We all know hurt, disappointment, confusion, indecision, hard circumstances. Each of us was broken and in need of God’s saving grace. Whether we’d been a Christian for a day or a lifetime, we all need Jesus just as much right now as we did the first moment we gave our hearts to him.”
There was a moment in the conference when we all were singing praises to God and the blend of thousands of voices rising as a single chord of worship to our Savior was a most beautiful sound that took my breath away. My voice blending with all the others until it couldn’t be picked out even by me was a phenomenal reminder to me that I am not alone. Not only is God with me always, but my family, my Christian brothers and sisters, are always near to support and comfort me, to encourage and help me through difficult times, and pick me up when I fall – as I am there for them.We each have a story and when those stories combine to glorify God, it is a beautiful thing! That’s why I write this blog. That’s why I offer my time and my heart to grieving families and that’s why I serve in leadership at my church. Because I want my life to be a beautiful offering to the Love of my life – Jesus. I want my life to say that He loves me and I love Him. And when my small voice is added to the many other seemingly small voices, we will be heard as one beautiful chord of worship and praise to the God who created and redeemed us.
About the pictures:
Parkwood Presbyterian (July 2009)
2 comments:
Maureen, this is a wonderful message.
I think that when we finally realize that every single one of us has a story, we can begin to accept ourselves and each other as the unique, flawed humans that we are. When we cease judging and rating each other, and begin to practice what He taught us about loving each other, our lives open up in ways we never imagined were possible!
You have picked me up plenty of times, and I thank you for that.
I'm glad you got to sing with the sisters.
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