Happy Anniversary of a Different Kind....

July 3rd of last year I was forced by a set of uncontrollable circumstances, to move. I left my children's father in Charleston and move to Conway with my parents. It was to be a temporary situation. However God had bigger plans for me and my babies.

Let me explain.... the way I was living was not what God wanted for me. Deep down inside I didn't want to be there either. I just didn't know how (like the prodigal) to get home. A lot had happened over the 4 years since I had walked away and the thought of going home was extremely hard and humbling for me. But here I found myself. I tried to hold onto my relationship with their father, but the longer I was home, the more Jesus was breaking down my walls and strengthening me to face the decision I had to make, the decision to move on.

One Sunday I went with my parents to this new church they discovered in Surfside. They raved about how awesome it was and how the pastor was preaching what they always longed to hear; Grace and Mercy WITHOUT legalism. I knew that's what I wanted my kids to experience so I thought I'd try it out. I was still being super stubborn (hard to imagine I know! LOL).... It took 3 visits to Journey Church where each time God broke into the service to speak to me. He spoke though Pastor Tom, and other people who wanted to pray for me. I finally acknowledged my way of doing life wasn't working and decided to walk back into a relationship with Jesus.

Now for those who are unfamiliar with all this I will explain. Yes, there is a God and NO, he doesn't live a billion light years away, He DOES care about each of us, our lives and loves us more than we could ever imagine. His love is far greater than any human love. But because I was a sinner, due to my choices I had separated myself from God. When this happens life is empty, it has a sense of meaninglessness. You can strive to succeed, to further your career or find the perfect man or have kids... but at the end of the day deep inside you feel something is missing. Its within all of us the desire to know our creator, our God. That's the longing you feel. Here is the good part, God didn't want us to stay separated. He knew a sentence had to be paid for our sin, and he knew we could never pay that price. So he sent the only thing that would pay for our sins, and in fact OVERPAY. So no matter what you did yesterday, today or even tomorrow its already been covered. He send his son Jesus. He died and came back from the grave 3 days later. He is stronger than death. He is bigger than anything in this world, good or evil. He longs for us to love him, to have a relationship with him. That's what I was speaking of... giving my life back to Jesus, meaning consciously leaving my sin behind and walking with Him (yes I still sin, but now I've accepted his forgiveness by entering into this special relationship).

So, today marks a different kind of anniversary. A joyful one. Its the day Jesus drastically made a way out for me. He has been in control of my path back to him the whole time. He sure does love me and my kids. He has proven his protection, provision, and guidance of us over and over and over again. He isn't done with me yet! He has big plans for me and my babies. All I have to do is keep loving him and by his grace, live the best I can. I just cant wait to see what more he has for us and who we are going to show his love to along the way!