Good morning friends! The winner from yesterday's devo is Hannah. Hannah, could you please send me your address to Lynn@Proverbs31.org?
For those of you who would still like to have the CD "He is THAT into you: Finding Perfect Love in the Heart of God", click here to purchase it from Proverbs 31.
Happy Wednesday!
Lynn
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
God Story
If you are joining me here today from my devotion with Proverbs 31 Ministries on Encouragement for Today, Welcome! My devotion was mistakenly linked to this blog which is no longer active. I'd love for you to click here to visit my current website at http://www.lynncowell.blogspot.com/.
If that's too much trouble, just relax and keep reading. As I promised today in my devotion, I wanted to share with you my all time favorite "God Stories". If you would prefer that I tell you the story, just watch the video below. You can skip to the time 9:47 to get right to it! Otherwise, just skip past this screen....
Greg and I first met at church in late spring when I was in sixth grade; he was in eighth. He called me and that was all it took. (There is just something about having someone like you first! Even more exciting was the fact that he was an older guy. Since we went to different schools and couldn’t drive, it quickly fizzled. The phone calls only came a couple of times and life returned back to normal. Or at least it did for Greg, but not for me. He was just not going to be one of those guys I got over. All through junior high I wrote his name all over my notebooks.
In ninth grade, my chance finally came. Our church was having a Valentine’s get together and Greg asked me. I was out of my mind! As a junior, he was a huge weight lifter (6’2”, 250 POUNDS!) and captain of the football team. His smile grabbed me. My parents let me go to the celebration, but since I wasn’t sixteen yet, I wasn’t allowed to “date”. Once again, the phone calls stopped.
Finally, I turned sixteen. I had decided to make a huge change in my life. Leaving the Christian school where I attended junior high, I transitioned to the high school two blocks from home. A couple of different motives came into play. Our youth pastor, PR, often encouraged us to share our faith with our non-Christian friends. Well I didn’t have any! So I decided it was time to get some. Motive number two was Greg.
It didn't quite go as I had planned. Honestly, my sophomore year was my worst. Greg’s locker was on the same floor as mine, so I would pass it and see him at least once a day. Even worse, his new girlfriend's locker was close by as well! Even though she was very nice, it was so hard not to be completely jealous of her! When she showed me a ring Greg had given her; my heart broke.
I didn’t do such a great job of controlling my thoughts; I let it all get to me. I remember sitting at home one weekend night, emo-type music pouring out of my speakers and crying my brains out. Why didn’t he like me?! What was wrong with me? The answer: nothing. It just wasn't God's plan for me to have a boyfriend at that time.
It took awhile, but I finally started to trust God. I quit trying to manipulate my relationships with guys and starting trusting him. When Greg was a junior in college, he decided that I was exactly what he was looking for. At that time, I was at Bible school. I shared with my counselor how the guy I had liked forever (seven years to be exact!) finally liked me. He had called me at school and said he was coming my way for spring break and was coming to see me. I could not have possibly been more excited. Then the bad news came: she reminded me I had made a commitment while I was at school I wouldn’t date. I had said I would give one hundred percent of my heart and attention to Jesus. Gently, she pointed out that it is impossible to give your all to two relationships at the same time (it wouldn’t be your all then, would it?). I knew she was right, but I did not want to hear that! I called Greg and told him that I couldn’t have a relationship with him. It was like ripping my heart out!
Seven months later, with school out; I went home to visit my parents. Guess who was at church? That’s right; Greg. We started dating and we were married a year later. I have been writing him verses ever since.
That history with God really built a foundation in my life; a stable start to knowing that He can be trusted each and every time in my life.
Do you have a young person who needs to learn to trust the Lord? My teaching CD "He is That Into You"might be a great thing to give them! I am giving away a copy today. Just click "comments" below to share how you are learning to trust God or just say "I'm in" and I'll include you!
If that's too much trouble, just relax and keep reading. As I promised today in my devotion, I wanted to share with you my all time favorite "God Stories". If you would prefer that I tell you the story, just watch the video below. You can skip to the time 9:47 to get right to it! Otherwise, just skip past this screen....
Greg and I first met at church in late spring when I was in sixth grade; he was in eighth. He called me and that was all it took. (There is just something about having someone like you first! Even more exciting was the fact that he was an older guy. Since we went to different schools and couldn’t drive, it quickly fizzled. The phone calls only came a couple of times and life returned back to normal. Or at least it did for Greg, but not for me. He was just not going to be one of those guys I got over. All through junior high I wrote his name all over my notebooks.
In ninth grade, my chance finally came. Our church was having a Valentine’s get together and Greg asked me. I was out of my mind! As a junior, he was a huge weight lifter (6’2”, 250 POUNDS!) and captain of the football team. His smile grabbed me. My parents let me go to the celebration, but since I wasn’t sixteen yet, I wasn’t allowed to “date”. Once again, the phone calls stopped.
Finally, I turned sixteen. I had decided to make a huge change in my life. Leaving the Christian school where I attended junior high, I transitioned to the high school two blocks from home. A couple of different motives came into play. Our youth pastor, PR, often encouraged us to share our faith with our non-Christian friends. Well I didn’t have any! So I decided it was time to get some. Motive number two was Greg.
It didn't quite go as I had planned. Honestly, my sophomore year was my worst. Greg’s locker was on the same floor as mine, so I would pass it and see him at least once a day. Even worse, his new girlfriend's locker was close by as well! Even though she was very nice, it was so hard not to be completely jealous of her! When she showed me a ring Greg had given her; my heart broke.
I didn’t do such a great job of controlling my thoughts; I let it all get to me. I remember sitting at home one weekend night, emo-type music pouring out of my speakers and crying my brains out. Why didn’t he like me?! What was wrong with me? The answer: nothing. It just wasn't God's plan for me to have a boyfriend at that time.
It took awhile, but I finally started to trust God. I quit trying to manipulate my relationships with guys and starting trusting him. When Greg was a junior in college, he decided that I was exactly what he was looking for. At that time, I was at Bible school. I shared with my counselor how the guy I had liked forever (seven years to be exact!) finally liked me. He had called me at school and said he was coming my way for spring break and was coming to see me. I could not have possibly been more excited. Then the bad news came: she reminded me I had made a commitment while I was at school I wouldn’t date. I had said I would give one hundred percent of my heart and attention to Jesus. Gently, she pointed out that it is impossible to give your all to two relationships at the same time (it wouldn’t be your all then, would it?). I knew she was right, but I did not want to hear that! I called Greg and told him that I couldn’t have a relationship with him. It was like ripping my heart out!
Seven months later, with school out; I went home to visit my parents. Guess who was at church? That’s right; Greg. We started dating and we were married a year later. I have been writing him verses ever since.
That history with God really built a foundation in my life; a stable start to knowing that He can be trusted each and every time in my life.
Do you have a young person who needs to learn to trust the Lord? My teaching CD "He is That Into You"might be a great thing to give them! I am giving away a copy today. Just click "comments" below to share how you are learning to trust God or just say "I'm in" and I'll include you!
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