This morning while I was cleaning our impossible oven, I turned on a sermon that my pastor back home preached right before my parents left for Africa. Before Jason got up to speak, my dad had been asked to share a little bit about ministering to the homeless (bc the majority of the people in my parent's homegroup are living in homeless shelters). Anyways the part Dad shared wasn't on the podcast, but a little ways into Jason's sermon he made a reference to what my dad had been talking about it, and then he mentioned how obvious it was that my dad was so sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading (which is so true :)!). And right then, I remember thinking, "I don't know if anyone could say that about me right now." And I just started praying that the Lord would do a work in my spirit to bring me back to that intimacy with him. About an hour later, I got a text from Mom telling me that Molly had accepted Jesus as her savior that morning in Mozambique...and something in me just got freed up. I received Jesus as my savior 15 years ago, and there have been several instances where I can look back and remember being in awe at how the Lord had saved me that day...but there was something about learning that Molly had heard the heart of God call her name that just reminded me what a miracle it really is to be called into grace!! I just sat there and cried for a while before I called Molly to tell her how excited I was for her (Praise God that even now my sweet family is just a phone call away)! All afternoon, I haven't been able to stop thinking about how HUGE it is that Molly just answered the most important question of her life. I even drove up to Dan's work right after I got off the phone with Molly, because I couldn't wait until he got home to tell him. I'm SO SO excited! Maybe this is selfish of me, but I've already asked Jesus if Molly can be one of the people I get to stand next to when we meet Him for the first time :). Just a second ago a Jimmy Needham song came on and the whole time I was listening to it I couldn't stop thinking about what the Lord had done in Molly's heart today and what He did in mine 15 years ago!! And I started crying...again (I'm going to blame that on the allergy pills, I'm really not a crier usually). Anyways I'm going to put the lyrics on here and mail Molly a flashdrive with this song on it, because He put a new song in her mouth today and I think it probably sounds something like this:
(I highly recommend downloading this one)
Yours To Take- Jimmy Needham
This is my second chance
This is no song and dance
You came in and renewed a right spirit
This is grace at its best
This is taking a restless, messed up heart and having you clear it
I can feel the weight is lifting
I'm barely staying on the ground
And I can feel the wait is over
Finally the lost is found
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
I've been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take
I was down for the count
I was up, but knocked out
When I heard pardon for the interruption
Then like out of blue
Out came glorious You
You picked me up without barely any introduction
You won my heart by a landslide
You tend to do that every time
So, everything I have is Yours now
Even my very life
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
Well, I've Been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take
Your kindness leads me to repentance
Leads me to the cross, which leads me to forgiveness
So, I'm counting it all as lost
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine*my will*
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine*my will*
I've been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take
Lord, never let us forget what a miracle it is that you CHOSE us while we were still sinners, and you adopted us as your children. You didn't just mend our hearts, you completely restored them! Thank you for the person who told the person, who told the person, who told the person, who told the person, who told my parents, who shared with Molly the wonder of the cross! May we constantly sing the new song you put in our mouth the day we professed you as our Lord!
