My Birthday Surprise!

While at the conference for Women in Ministry in Dallas, Beth Grant proclaimed that the Holy Spirit would surprise us by His presence in some specific way. I wondered what my surprise might be, yet forgot about it in the midst of worship, conversations, connections, workshops and laughter.

On Thursday afternoon of my birthday, I took the opportunity to spend some time with Sue Willis, founder of "Touching the Hem of His Garments" ministry and who will be our speaker at the Sectional Spring Event in March. She asked me to share my story about the “dance.” Some mutual friends had told her she needed to hear this story.

I had come to the conference with some heaviness of heart, physical pain and questions for God. As I shared my own amazing story I noticed my heart lifting, my voice changing and faith igniting in my spirit. I was surprised at how sharing this testimony could minister to me. It wasn’t until today that I realized this was my surprise.

Hearing my own voice praise God and give Him credit for orchestrating these significant occasions in my life actual lifted the heaviness from my shoulders, lightened my heart and allowed faith to ignite for my own situation. Sue had commented how she could see the change on my face and hear it in my voice as I told the story. I went away rejoicing, full of faith and hope that God was still moving and orchestrating in my life for my good.

You may be asking, “What does this mean for me, Angela? Well, I believe we need to hear ourselves praise or bless God out loud. We need to hear ourselves testifying to the great things He has done in our lives. We need to count our blessings over and over again. We so easily forget the marvelous ways God has ministered in our lives in the past because they are overshadowed by our present circumstances. We need to remember and speak it out loud.

Psalm 34 :1 tells us “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Is that what is continually coming out of our mouths or is it complaining, gripes, worry, anxious thoughts? Continual means “frequent, recurrent, incessant, constant, repetitive and persistent.”

This is one time its okay to repeat yourself. Tell your testimonies of praise to your co-workers, family, friends and anyone you come in contact with. You, too , may be surprised by how God blesses you.