Tag : blessing
Tag : blessing
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20, NIV).
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were being persecuted and then realized, in hindsight, that it was a blessing? I have, and still experience these moments today.
One instance occurred in 2016; my dad was very ill and thinking it was going to be his last Christmas, I booked a flight to visit him in Montreal from December 22nd to December 29th. At the time I was the General Manager of a restaurant, and for the previous five years, always took that week of Christmas off because it was a slow week. After booking the flight, I informed my boss, and for the first time in five years, she declined my request. She said it was not fair to the other managers that I always took that week off—she approved the week before or the week after—but not the week of Christmas. I was disappointed since it never had been an issue. She knew my immediate family lived in Canada and I visited them once a year during the holidays. Nevertheless, I called the airline company to change the flight and was pleasantly surprised when the person on the line waived the change fee because she heard I was visiting my ill dad. I ended up flying into Canada the night of December 15th and went straight to the hospital. I spent the night with my dad, letting my mom go home and get some rest. The next morning at 8 a.m., my dad took his last breath. At that moment I realized how God uses every circumstance, good or bad, to bless us. If my “mean” boss had allowed me my usual vacation, I would never have spent that last night with my dad.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 34, NIV).
God knows what is best for us even when we don’t. The Bible promises us He will give us the desires of our hearts when we take delight in Him. We must trust Him while praising and worshipping Him daily. At first, I was upset with my boss when she told me I couldn’t visit my family at Christmas, but I immediately trusted that God would work things out. In doing so, and not fighting back, I was able to spend the last night on earth with my dad and fed him his favorite thing to eat, ice cream, before he went to be with His Father in heaven. What a blessing it turned out to be. What the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good!
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28, NIV).
Categories: Blog
“So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT).
Sixty Folders.
That’s the answer I heard in my spirit when I asked, “How many folders should I purchase for the Level-Up Conference?” Sixty seemed like a lot since we were only a few weeks out from our event and our numbers were hovering in the twenties. However, I trusted the voice and obediently bought sixty folders. When our registrations approached sixty, I was tempted to buy another ten just to be sure we had enough, but once again I trusted the Holy Spirit. He said sixty women would come to be refreshed and encouraged so I needed to believe that’s what we would have.
So we set up sixty seats at our venue, Northview Baptist Church, and on the day of the conference, my heart felt great joy when I scanned the sanctuary and saw almost every seat filled. God knew, in advance, how many would attend and He blessed this conference, that had been bathed in prayer.
Today, as I reflect on Level-Up, I want to provide some thank yous and a short synopsis of what happened on Saturday.
Thank you Sandy Storm for showing us that even the worst of situations can be redeemed, as you shared about your rescue from human trafficking.
Thank you Dr. Lynnette Simm for teaching us that while people may let us down, we can always trust God.
Thank you Rosemary Legrand for a powerful time of healing prayer.
Thank you Rebecca Carrell for showing us that things may not get better in the world but God can help us endure and have joy as we maneuver through life.
Thank you Elizabeth Settle for reminding us that we are never alone—Jesus is always with us.
Thank you Gina Wright for encouraging those who have been through painful divorces and rejection, that God will lead them through it.
Thank you Alexis Arellano for telling it like it is and not being afraid to share truth.
Thank you Renee Rollins for stepping in at the last minute and ushering in a powerful worship experience.
Thank you Katherine Legg for providing those beautiful moments of peace through your flute playing as we reflected on what we’ve heard.
Thank you Aurora Ortega Geis for your wisdom and powerful transitions in your role as emcee.
Thank you Andrea Gibson for welcoming us into your church and making the planning so easy.
Thank you Prayer Team and Volunteers for serving. We could not do this without you.
Most importantly, thank you LORD. You are the one that brought all this together. We do it for you and to provide women the hope only you can offer.
In the process of putting the conference together, I was often discouraged and thought, I am not sure I want to do this again. COVID impacted our numbers. We lost a speaker after her husband succumbed to COVID and we lost our original Worship Leader who fell ill, two days before Level-Up. But after seeing the hand of God the day of this event—how He leveled this event up—I believe Level-Up 2022 will happen. He’s already downloaded many of the details. Level-Up Faith, Level-Up your Future, and Level-down Fears. See you all at our 2022 Level-Up event. Don’t miss out on the blessing!
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Our online POP Chat is back in October! We want to invite you to our POP Chat on Wednesday, October 27th from 6:30-7:30 on Zoom. Aurora Ortega Geis will be speaking on “33 Days in the Valley.” We will have worship, a message, prayer and discussion. Join the entire POP Team for this powerful get-together. Email: info@pearlsofpromiseministries.com for details.
Categories: Blog