This past weekend, I was the guest speaker at a Lutheran Women in Missions Fall Rally. I was given 40 minutes to speak and used every last one of them. When I finished speaking, I looked at the timer and it said 1 second. The 40 minutes were packed with scripture, personal testimony, and lessons to learn and encourage us as we desire to live lives of worship. I had my speech written out as a guide, but knew it well enough that I was not tied to it; some things were added and some things were left out as the Lord lead me.
The one thing that struck me this day was one of the thoughts that I spoke passionately and with conviction that the Lord brought out of my mouth. They were words that I had not written down and words that I had not even thought about as I prepared, but they were words that are ministering to me this day and hopefully to anyone that the Lord put there to hear them.
What I said, when talking about releasing bitterness and un-forgiveness that we harbor, was this. . . "Ladies forgive, It could change someones life, It changed mine!"
My main viewpoint in un-forgiveness that day was the need for us to be obedient and to show grace as God has shown us, but the turn it took at that moment was the effect that our forgiveness to others can impact their life. This hits me tenderly and deeply, because my life would look very different today if people, if my family, if my husband, if my children had not forgiven me for what I had done to them.
My life is different this day because of what Christ did once and for all and because others followed his call to forgive.
If you (if I) have people, that to this day, we are separated from because of un-forgiveness that we have refused to show them, lets start following the example of Jesus Christ and forgive. It can and will change someone life. If not theirs. . .then ours.
Luke 11:2-4
"When you pray, say,
Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." The Message
The one thing that struck me this day was one of the thoughts that I spoke passionately and with conviction that the Lord brought out of my mouth. They were words that I had not written down and words that I had not even thought about as I prepared, but they were words that are ministering to me this day and hopefully to anyone that the Lord put there to hear them.
What I said, when talking about releasing bitterness and un-forgiveness that we harbor, was this. . . "Ladies forgive, It could change someones life, It changed mine!"
My main viewpoint in un-forgiveness that day was the need for us to be obedient and to show grace as God has shown us, but the turn it took at that moment was the effect that our forgiveness to others can impact their life. This hits me tenderly and deeply, because my life would look very different today if people, if my family, if my husband, if my children had not forgiven me for what I had done to them.
My life is different this day because of what Christ did once and for all and because others followed his call to forgive.
If you (if I) have people, that to this day, we are separated from because of un-forgiveness that we have refused to show them, lets start following the example of Jesus Christ and forgive. It can and will change someone life. If not theirs. . .then ours.
Luke 11:2-4
"When you pray, say,
Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." The Message
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