Amazing Grace

Man...I've had that song running through my head all day. I've been thinking about getting baptized in the bay for a while now and finally went through with it. Nothing was really holding me back from doing it before, but I recently decided it was time for me to just go ahead and do it...and I'm so glad I did. I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to get baptized this morning when I woke up (just b/c you usually have to give them some notice) but it turned out I was able to. Anyways, I woke up this morning and usually I spend my hour or so getting ready in just complete silence...I'm just really not a morning person and don't like to listen to the news cause it stresses me out in the mornings and don't like listening to all the talking on the radio stations...so I just get ready in the quiet. Well, today I decided to turn on one of the christian radio stations and it was nothing but worship songs this morning. As I sat on my floor getting ready I couldn't help but just be filled w/ tears and just keep praying "God, thank you that your mercy is new EVERY morning...not just when you feel like giving us mercy, but EVERY morning. It is only by YOUR grace that I am saved...thank you God, thank you!" Literally I had my own worship service before I even got to church, and then our worship this morning was SOOOO good, it just made my day even better. I just spent the day relaxing, praying and really thinking about how good God is. Sometimes our lives aren't how we want them, i.e things don't happen when we want them to and things happen when we don't want them to...things turn out differently then we planned and sometimes it gets us down, but the fact of the matter is...every day is good because we are saved by God's grace. I'm definitely preaching to myself on this one b/c I know in the past year or two I've really struggled with "God...this isn't how I planned for my life to be...why aren't you making my life turn out the way I planned?"...and the reason is, because that's not what he wants or has planned for my life. He has something so much better then I can even imagine. How dare I question why God is or isn't doing certain things in my life. Anyways, all that to say I DID get baptized today out in the bay and it was beautiful. It ended perfectly too by us all walking back towards the dock and singing Amazing Grace together. What better song to sing after being baptized then amazing grace? "I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see...how precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed." How perfect! I posted some pics from it on my facebook...go check 'em out! And thank God for his amazing grace that he gives us EVERY morning!

This is just the beginning....

So last night our church held its FIRST young adults group in our sanctuary. This has been months and months in the making with prayer, thoughts, suggestions, fasting and numerous ideas all put into one night and I must say it was GREAT!! I had my own fears going into last night...were people going to show up?...was the sound going to be ok? (it always seems no matter how many times you practice, it still seems to mess up when everyone is there)...would our speaker remember to come? etc. After finally just realizing that I'm a big planner and a little on the O.C.D side, I just had to really pray that God would help me relinquish my need for controlling it and know that it was ALL in his hands! Last night as we were worshipping I just kept praising God for bringing THESE people here on THIS night and that they would all be filled with his spirit and joy! One of the songs sang is one of my favorites, its kind of new and the lyrics are perfect! "Take my life and let it be, all for you and for your Glory, take my life and let it be yours...Glory to God!" gosh...how perfect :) Our leadership team, along with our sound guys (thanks Thomas and Mr. Mike) and of course our worship team and speaker Nic couldn't have done a better job! I'm sooo blessed to be part of such a wonderful church who was so quick to support us (thanks to you too Doug for coming out for our first meeting). I'm looking forward to MANY more meetings just like last nights! Hope you guys can come out to our next one...May 28th!
Glory to God!