Winter 2015 Joys and Gratitude

So far 2015 has been not an ordinary one for me: everything thing from two weeks of snow, performances, and gatherings of all kinds.   All of which I thank God for and praise Him for the abundance of gifts He gives on daily basis.  More than the list below I thank God for His grace and mercy.  For His sacrifice and for His love.  For His Word and promises.  For life.  For this season of Lent as we approach His crucifixion and resurrection!  As winter comes to a close next week, I’m thanking God for these things…

#2350  speaking at Elon IV about IF: and my story about giving my life to Christ on campus

#2351  learning about dry bones and Ezekiel with Elon students

#2352  You give life to dry and broken lives

#2353  spending the evening with K

#2354  Finding a florist/decorator through mom/daughter wanting to help with IF

#2355  As of 1/21,we have 74 coming.  Last week it was 34.

#2356  People signing up daily

#2357  women wanting to hang posters in other places

#2358  women wanting to donate money

#2359  women excited to be on the prayer team

#2360  opportunity to have it at Elon

#2361  IF:Gathering post reminding me of the importance of counting joys in the midst of planning IF

#2362  Giving me the calling and passion to do this

#2363  the desire to write about this and share it

#2364  others sharing my story

#2365  support from friends

#2366  support from family

#2367  husband making things happen at Elon

#2368  the team of women who are willing to help

#2369  the IF:Team making this easy for us

#2370  Jennie Allen replied to my comment to thank the entire IF:Leadership Team (:

#2371  IF:Coach posted in our Facebook with encouragement and prayers

#2372  SMC supporting this and loaning us and giving us things

#2373  the study of Joshua – being my favorite verse

#2374  putting pieces together about dates and God Moments in my life

#2375  119 registered by Jan. 29

#2376  Email from Amy Brown asking me to be an official IF:Blogger

#2377  L encouraging me…and saying sometime I need to share my story and compared to people crossing the Jordan river into Promised Land

#2378  Reading Exodus 2-3 about Moses and his calling and excuses – so like me

#2379  Beautiful IF Banner M made

#2380  Beautiful jars and table runners C are making

#2381  Prayers K emails me

#2382  Booklets and Conversation cards printed!

#2383  3x I’m reminded of Moses 4 – Holy Spirit, L and J

#2384  J speaking truth to me.  She does.

#2385  Prayers for me and for IF

#2386  A loaning decorations

#2387  C offering her gift of floral decorating to God

#2388  S who went with me to BJ’s to give ideas and talk with manager

#2389  ST going to Hobby Lobby with me for ideas

#2390  ST making baskets, planning food table decorating

#2391  B volunteering with food Saturday

#2392   Being asked from IF to blog for them during the event!

#2393   Seeing friends you haven’t seen in years

#2394  Seeing others become excited to be coming

#2395  making me realize that this is more than an event…and I’ve never really though that until you said that.  I thought so much of what others can gain from this and haven’t thought much about what I will…I have…I am.

#2396  the SAME GOD who instructed Moses, is guiding me…or is He instructing?

#2397  God is saying the same conversation to me?  Exodus 4:10

#2398  nudging me to open our gathering, even though it was so hard

#2399  120 women at IF:Alamance

#2400  every women who walked into McKinnon Hall Feb. 6-7

#2401  arms raised in worship

#2402  words of steps of faith written on stones

#2403  powerful prayer Friday night led by Ann Voskamp  #pray703

#2404  women surrendering in prayer

#2405  Saturday praying together all on our knees

#2406  hearing people’s stories afterward of their steps of obedient faith

#2407  women called to racial reconciliation at their work/school

#2408  women to gather other women around a table for a meal and conversation

#2409  women feeling led to host IF:Gathering 2016

#2410  women confessing and letting go

#2411  women sharing in a group for the first time

#2412  women deep in prayer

#2413  women who never speak in groups spoke for the first time

#2414  women speaking at their church

#2415  beautiful table decorations

#2416  women with the heart to serve that weekend

#2417  the woman who made dozens of cookies for us

#2418  N who saved the event many times with technology

#2419  She who supported and loved me and helped make IF:Alamance happen

#2420  new relationships formed

#2421 unity with almost a million women that weekend around the world worshipping our God and bringing Him glory

#2422  dear friends who supported and prayed for me…for us.

#2423  two ladies who took 36 big table cloths and washed them

#2424  God speaking boldly and clearly through speakers at IF

#2425  reuniting with a friend in a new way

#2326  through to freedom from the Liar’s grip the week after

#2427  weather to not hinder our gathering

#2428  the friend SD who put the seed in my heart to host IF and cheered and prayed me through all of this the past year

#2429  going back and reading my prayer and cry after IF 2014 and how IF 2015 evolved from it

#2430  learning what sister through Christ was praying and fasting for us for 24 hours during IF

#2431  daughter performing in Shorts theater production

#2432  daughter finding recipes in her cookbook

#2433  Hot water on cold days

#2434  Daughter’s excitement to go see Wicked at DPAC

#2435  Husband’s homemade chicken noodle soup

#2436  A night sitting by the fire watching basketball with family

#2437  a cleaned off desk

#2438  Mom’s birthday

#2439  Rainbow to remind me God promises it’s going o be beautiful and there’s nothing I need to fear

#2440  the 2 2015 snows – one ice for sledding and 1 thick and wet

#2441  waking up to a pure, white blanket of snow

#2442  friends over bright and early to play in the snow all day into the night

#2443  snow that packs tight

#2444  our families making an 8ft. snow man

#2445  small group snowball fight

#2446  the people who work late hours away from their families to keep us safe and roads cleared

#2447  sledding down a steep hill fast

#2448  An extra 2 weeks of family time because of snow closing school

#2449  sledding on the same sled with daughter…and the sled out from under us not knowing it

#2450  A phone call from a stranger that turned into something beautiful

#2451  Hearing miracle stories in our community about a man needing a liver transplant

#2452  Hearing banjo music from the little house on the trial I walk on

#2453  Sunrise on the morning I take kids to school

#2454  Sunflower from my husband

#2455  Meeting with other writers from church

#2456  family reading the New Testament together

#2457  family reading the New Testament with families in our small group

#2458  questions and thoughts from our kids about the Bible

#2459  Comfort in His Word when the world is falling about and it’s kinda scary

#2460  Being part of dear friends baby dedication

#2461   Going to nieces big swimmeet

#2462  Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa leading worship at church

#IF #joy