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Cafe Chat Soundtrack of Faith
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tell about one time in the past 5 years where you took a HUGE Step of Faith in your journey with the Lord. What was the outcome?
I am hearing music everywhere! The sounds of a life of Faith.
If my life....If your life... had a soundtrack created for it....What would it sound like?
Light and melodic ? Brassy like clashing cymbals? Soft and tender? Loud and dramatic?
When God listens to the Faith soundtrack of my life, Does He hear a Worship Song?
The music is complex. Filled with wild rhythms, crescendos, and sometimes mesto (mournfully sad). The sounds are sometimes pesante (Heavy, ponderous) or filled with tenerezza(tenderness).
I love listening to the faith of your lives. Watching as the music is written note by note. Hearing the stories of risk taken, steps of faith both large and small, harmonies of lives that effect another.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Wonder what the soundtrack for these scenes would reverberate like?
Wonder what the soundtrack for these scenes would reverberate like?
By Faith God accepted Abel's Gift.
By Faith Enoch was swept away without dying.
By Faith Noah built a boat.
By Faith Moses delivered God's People.
By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down.
By Faith Rehab was spared.
By Faith Sarah gave birth to a child.
Or this moment in time taken from God's Word. Daniel 3
Three Men refusing to bow down. Standing up for Christ! Thrown into the fiery Furnace.The music is solemn, grave. Suddenly in their midst is the saviour! Can you hear the music? They are protected...not even a hint of smokey smell on their garments. The one in whom they put there trust has come to the rescue.
All who witness...All who see their salvation...All who listen to the music of their faith respond with Belief. "For no other God can do what this one does" Daniel 3:29
I often wonder how the music would change with the ending.
What if God showed up in the fiery Furnace for Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego.....held their hands...offered comfort...looked into their eyes as... they perished, as the were consumed by the flames. How would the witnesses respond? How would their families and friends remember their story, their song of faith?
A Crisis of faith perhaps..... Or simply acceptance for Gods plan.
A Crisis of faith perhaps..... Or simply acceptance for Gods plan.
This is my story, This is the story of my baby sister Michele.
Shelly changed her address to heaven last year and now lives in a home created especially for her! This was my Crisis of Faith. The moment when I had to choose to believe, accept God's will, or sit in sack cloth and become bitter, angry and un trusting of God and his plans.
Shelly was an ordinary girl, you wouldn't notice her in a crowd, and she preferred it that way. She was a young women with no hidden agendas, or ulterior motives. Simple Girl, Simple lifestyle, extraordinary heart.
At the Age of 21, in school to become a nurse with the intentions of becoming a foreign missionary and living her life in extreme areas of poverty, my sister learned she has a brain tumor that was inoperable and given 6 months to live.
God had other plans and so did she. He provided 1 of 2 doctors in the states willing to take the risk of operating on her tumor. We new the risks. 80% chance of Loosing all sight, altered personality, vegetative state.....But what choice do you have at 21 years of age. God was there, a miracle was performed, she recovered from a partially successful surgery and was left with no harm and a shunt in her head that allowed spinal fluid to drain into her abdomen. God Provided a Miracle for my family.
6 weeks later she was on the ground in Romania ministering to Gypsy children. She came home with no shoes and very few clothes. She gave them away to anyone who asked.
Christ became my sisters beloved! She had no earthly love except him. I can recall 2 kisses from boyfriends. But nothing serious. How do you start a relationship, a family, when you know that you have heard from God and He is saying your life on this earth will be very short. She obtained a job working with Alzheimer's patients and continued to travel the globe.She devoted herself to the people in this world with no voice, no hope. She shared the hope she had flowing from her soul. The hope of Christ.
She would endure 8 years of brain surgeries, (7), excruciating pain, migraine headaches masked by medication....several healing touches from the master, open heart surgery at 28....all while returning to Romania or Kenya shortly after a quick recovery against the advice of her doctors.
At the age of 30, lying in a hospital bed, she developed a brain infection. She was surrounded by family. Especially my Mother and Father. My Mom traveled the country with her...to special research hospitals, rehab centers for traumatic brain injuries. My Mom lived in hospitals and hotels for nearly a year. She would sit by my sisters side and then leave her room and minister to other families in traumatic events. Pray with them. Lead them to Christ. Share the testimony of God's faith fullness to our family and speak of a heaven that awaits those who love Christ Jesus. I know of many who received Christ. Whose lives were strengthened as a result of the path God had chosen for my sister and our families.
One thing I am sure of...She was in perfect Peace at all times! Never complaining always gracious...I Know it was God at work in her, in the midst of the fire, holding her hand while she was consumed!
She was at peace.......
She was at peace.......
Outwardly this was no peaceful thing. Death was not pretty, dignified, or gracious to her. My family suffered, our hearts cried out, pleaded, begged, bargained, accepted.
We watched as our God who can heal the sick, save the soul, command the wind, Raise the dead, we watched as he held her hand and allowed her to suffer and die. This is a Crisis of Faith.
We gathered together as she was dying, singing songs and praise and rejoicing in the healing that was about to take place, we read scripture, we cried, my mother talked her into the arms of Jesus.
When she was finally absent from the body and present with the Lord my dad gathered us around her, we held hands.
He prayed this prayer through tears, traumatic pain and agony......He could barely utter the words.............
"Father God I give to you my child...my baby girl...
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, In all things Blessed be the name of the Lord."
We sang a song of Praise to the creator who held our hands as we were consumed.
This is my crisis of Faith. It is being worked out on a daily basis.
" I know whom I had believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!"
My perspective has changed. My view of Life and Gods plan. I am much more focused on preparing for the gazillions of years I will spend in the presence of Christ than in the insignificant things, material possessions, and nonsense of the world. I seek after the eternal. The things that will last. I am teaching my children to long for the eternal while experiencing to the fullest all Christ has for them in this world.
I am trusting with blind faith in the things I do not understand. Gods ways are higher than ours, His plans are greater than ours. Of this I am certain.
I wonder what the music sounds like?
I Hope the soundtrack of my faith walked out is pleasing to my savior.
"Take Joy My King in what you hear. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear."
August 18, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Does He love the music of your walk of faith? I can hear Him saying "this is My beloved daughter, in her I Am well pleased"
August 18, 2008 at 3:16 PM
What a journey, and indeed a huge step of faith to trust God's plan. My brother-in-law passed away in March, unexpectedly and accidentally. He was 25. I have watched my husband and in-laws walk in the same faith.
Your sister sounds like a beautiful person. And form the way you tell of the journey, I think that God is well pleased with the "music of your walk".
August 18, 2008 at 5:57 PM
This is a beautiful story . . . your sister's, your family's and especially yours. Your faith was shining through your crisis.
Thanks for the visit and comment on my blog. God bless you!
August 18, 2008 at 11:26 PM
What a huge step of faith! Tears are streaming down my face I write. You have truly touched my heart dear sister in Christ. Such a powerful lesson of faith for us all. Thank you so much for sharing. Thank you too for your sweet and moving comments on my post. You and your family are in my prayers. Especially your mother. My heart goes out to her. Please, if I can be of any assistance to your mother please do not hesitate to email me. I know that blogging has helped me. It sounds like your mother and I are kindred spirits. God bless you all. Thank you again for your wonderful post.
August 18, 2008 at 11:54 PM
My sister Michele sent me the comment you made on her blog and suggested I come and read your Soundtrack of Faith! Oh dear one, this is a beautiful symphony of praise to our God, the One who redeemed your precious sister and held her close all those years.
I've been weepy today and this just helped me to cry a river. It's been a cleansing river. Thank you for sharing your challenge of faith and this beautiful testimony.
Blessings to you.
August 19, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Wow Renee, what a story.
God manifested Himself through your sister's relatively short life more than He will be allowed to do in most lives who are three times as long.
What a beautiful thing to see that spilling out into your life and your parents' lives.
Our God is remarkable, isn't He?
August 19, 2008 at 10:32 PM
This is a great testimony Renee. We do need to focus on eternity and not on the nonsense of this world. Bless you.
August 24, 2008 at 10:20 PM
You and your family are such amazing people! I'm glad to be part of your soundtrack.
I love you!