i've kept a blog since November 2002. at that time, if i remember correctly, i was 15 years old and a junior at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, Maryland. since then, i've graduated from high school, attended Washington and Lee University on a full-ride, and received my Masters of Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
all that I can say is that God has CERTAINLY been good to me during these past 8-9 years. actually He's been more than good to me for my entire life, especially when i didn't deserve it.
as the header says, i recevied Christ in late February 2007 upon returning back to W&L from the week-long president's break. i had spent it in Dallas with my mother and i remember particularly dreading spending a week with her. we've been separated by many miles for quite some time, and i enjoyed the comfort of the distance. distance meant not having to face our issues (read, my issues) with our relationship (perhaps we'll save that for a later blog).
anyway, my mother became a born-again Christian in 2002 during her recovery period from a stroke, induced by her post-pregnancy high blood pressure. since that time, she constantly tried to bring me into the fray, but something (probably the devil) constantly resisted her attempts. perhaps it was my inner-daughter which naturally rebels the good advice a mother gives (that is, until the advice turns out to be true, lol). i spent my week with her and was anxious to get back to w&l (haha, yes, that's how bad it was). however, God had other plans. it's funny how "all things work together for those... who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
on 2 consecutive days, i couldn't get a flight out of DFW airport. the first day was due to some freak windstorm which grounded all plans flying that day. the earliest flight i could get was two days later. on the third day (check the numerical symbolism here), my mother drops me off at the airport. before i leave, she hands me a pamphlet about God which i took an absentmindedly stuck in my purse. once on the plane, i settled into my seat next to a black woman who looked to be in her late-30s. i quickly became bored and needed some reading material, so i pulled the leaflet out of my purse. i'm not too sure of the topic but i know it had something to do with...jesus.
woman: oh are you a Christian?
me: (clumsily) ummmm yes.
woman: oh wow. well now that you've said that, i'd like to tell you about....
and just like that, the woman sparked up a conversation about a telecommunications business to which she wanted to invite me. i'm not going to lie, i think i tuned out, but eventually we exchanged phone numbers and i thought nothing much of it.
about wednesday or thursday of that week, the woman called me during the evening, excited to provide more information about her business. somehow, we began speaking about my relationship with my mother and then eventually, my relationship with Christ. i told her i really wasn't born again and had no idea what that meant.
woman: all you have to do is believe in your heart and confess with your mouth.
me: really, that's it?
woman: yes, really that's it.
me: like...no doves....no wind...no hailstorms....no tongue-speaking and dramatic foolishness?
woman: nope.
then, the woman pointed me to the biblical reference: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him fro the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10).
that was all it took and my life has never been the same. see, at that moment, a heavenly wind didn't descend, or the angel Gabrial didn't come perch at my bedside and try to holla at me in the middle of night. nothing like that. BUT, i do know that when i made that confession and truly believed that God was my personal Lord and savior, i accepted the salvation He so freely offered me. not only that, but God sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in me, guide me, and protect me so that I could do His will here on earth. God has been ordering my steps since my birth, but I KNOW He's been ordering them, especially after i accepted Him into my heart.
so today, January 5th, 2011, i sit some nearly 4 years later in awe of the perfection of God, His perfect plan and will for my life. and as i endure the present trials and tribulations, ups and downs, of my current life, i reflect that all things do work together for those who He has called. how was i to know that it would be an absolute stranger who God would use to usher me into His presence? his plan is so perfect that i suppose it really did take dramatic wind to get me to accept Him. hahahaha.
i'm thankful that He has kept me and called me. i am His and He is mine. even though I mess up, even thought it's hard sometimes, even though He slay me, yet and still i continue to have faith that all things are really working together for my good.
for that, i am certainly thankful.
God favors me.
amen.
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