Wonderful Service

We had a really good Sunday School service this morning and a good morning service- I will admit that having it in the home is hard because you are sitting on nice cozey couch/chair instead of those hard pews in a nice cozy warm house- really hard to stay awake sometimes. Its the Sunday night service that has me feeling stronger. Joleesa spent a weekend with some friends of the family in Princeton, MN and so considering we had to come pick her up they asked dad to preach. Sis. Mitzi had opening devotions and something in me just knew I was going to be asked to testify. Why do I always get picked to testify when I feel like I'm down- Im thankful for God and his church but I really think its a cop out sometimes when people say "I'm saved, sanctified, filled with the wonderful Holy Ghost and a member of the Glorious Church of God" those are things to be testified about by all means but there's got to be more.

So as the person who was asked to testify before me was talking I sat there asking "Lord what do I say" and the thought came almost as if I was being spoken to "He has never failed me. He's always been what He's always promised me He would be. That when I feel so alone its because I have failed not Him...I've failed to turn to Him for peace and comfort but instead sought out temperarly comfort from friends seeking softy fuzzy words with a pat on the back or a hug. So I'm thankful for His promise that He'll never leave me nor forsake me even though I time and time again seem to come short on my promises to Him." Never had my own testimony get to me before but there is a first for everything.


Then Bro. Nowling (Bro. Dad ) got up to preach. He preached on exodus 17:9-16 -Moses when he stood on the hill holding up the rod during the battle against Alamlek and how when Moses arms got heavy Aaron and Hur came and helped Moses by supporting his arms. He talked about when Moses started to lower the rod Alamlek would start to over come but when he held up the rod Israel over came and he used this to show that when we hold up righteousness, holiness, the truth and all of that we over come Satan but when we let ourselves get weak and burden down, when we start to feel lonely and feel like we just can't quite hold it high enough then Satan gets a chance to over come us by using that weakness that doubt to make us weaker to try to break us. When we find our arms getting heavy we need to ask for strength but that we can't let down that rod and that we can't let ourselves be over comed.

Now I will say that I know if you look at my dad's notes the general idea of what I just said and what his message is will line up but I think this is one of those messages that I walked away taking it differently then maybe everyone else. I have found that after Sunday service when you asked what the pastor preached about you'll get answers with the general drift of the message but what sticks with each person is different. I wonder if that is true if it would take a whole concertina to preach what one man preached in order to get all the points said...hmmm

It's been awhile sense our family has had an opportunity to fellowship with other church members outside our local church and so that was another blessing. It felt so good just to sit around and talk and to have people outside my family to hang out with. I love my family but at times I need more then them and they know and feel that way too. I could have done without my parents talking about me so much...LOL...I was being a pest when I asked my mom "Do you ever get tired of talking about us" (she was talking to Sis. Mitzi and Sis. Bacon) and Autumn came back with a good come back "Thats ok you can talk about us we'll just talk about you on our knees" I was proud of her. Actually since the assembly there is one girl that I look at and can see a 180 degree change in - she has made me proud.

I feel so renewed and refilled and refreshed...last night I couldn't sleep and I just felt so so heavy minded and hearted and now though it's not all better I know it will be...I think I know maybe how Moses did when his arms got heavy and Aaron and Hur came to help hold them up but instead of it being man holding me up it's my God and its comforting because there is no greater strength then His.

I do have one prayer request...I have a friend that could use some serious prayer I whole heartily believe that this person is trying to straight they're life out and could use the prayer

May God Bless you all

Jenna