~Answered prayer!!!!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Another God Moment
I had been praying that the kids would be filled up with the Holy Spirit. Holly came up to me and said, "Mom, I am so full and joyful that I can't stop singing about God and how much He loves me!"
~Answered prayer!!!!
~Answered prayer!!!!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
My Little Love Letters
Remember my little love letters from God that I had at my party? I stuck them all in my purse and asked God to show me who to give them to.
God moment #1
A nursing assistant I work with was crying during her shift and had to leave. Her brother was dying and she needed to be at his bedside. I gave her my letter and told her to read it and then share it with her family.
God moment #2
A priest I worked with, Fr. Peter Silvester, was dying. There was a Novice and an SVD Brother sitting at his beside. I gave them the letter and asked them to read it to Fr. Silvester. Reassure him that God loves him. Fr. Peter died only a few hours later.
God moment #3
Jackie, my friend who is the pastor of Justice and Compassion at Willow Creek, looked ragged. She told me what a failure she felt she was and how she was just overwhelmed. I gave her God's love letter.
God moment #1
A nursing assistant I work with was crying during her shift and had to leave. Her brother was dying and she needed to be at his bedside. I gave her my letter and told her to read it and then share it with her family.
God moment #2
A priest I worked with, Fr. Peter Silvester, was dying. There was a Novice and an SVD Brother sitting at his beside. I gave them the letter and asked them to read it to Fr. Silvester. Reassure him that God loves him. Fr. Peter died only a few hours later.
God moment #3
Jackie, my friend who is the pastor of Justice and Compassion at Willow Creek, looked ragged. She told me what a failure she felt she was and how she was just overwhelmed. I gave her God's love letter.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Christmas 2012
I prayed this December that God would show me how he wanted me to serve others....and He is!
As I was reading the Psalms, I kept feeling a prompting to open my home up for a drop-in. A place where women could stop in and have cider, to pray and a place of rest during the busy shopping season. I kept getting the word, "fortress", as I was reading scripture. This word was impressed upon me in the sense that my home was to be a fortress. As I was mulling the idea over, unexpectedly, a priest I work with, Fr. Guidry, told me a story about how his dad opened their home every December for anyone that wanted to stop in, have homemade coconut cake, a little peach brandy and visit. He said his home was always full of people all month long, just coming and going. At that moment, I felt God was confirming to me that he wanted me open my home.
I didn't want to do it! I was afraid. I was afraid to send out a bunch of invitations and then have people not show up. I didn't want to have to tell anyone, when they asked how my party was, "No one came over." I finally obeyed God in fear and faith and e-mailed 65 people.
The party was set for 9 a.m. I had out my nice china, wassail, chocolates, Christmas music was playing and candles were lit. By 9:30 no one had arrived and I was crushed. I could feel the tears in my eyes as I prayed for God to protect my heart.
God moment #1:
At 9:45 my doorbell rang. A friend was standing on my front step. She said, "Is there anyone here?" I told her that no one had come. (yep- I felt like a loser.) She said, "I didn't want to come over today. I don't want to have to socialize with a bunch of people. But I need to talk to someone." I invited her in and with great emotion, she began sharing with me devastating news that was happening in her life. After an hour passed, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had given her the gift of a "fortress". A place of safety and rest.
The night before, I had printed out 'Love Letters from God' for each of my guests. There lie the 50 letters untouched on my table. I said to her, "This letter was meant for you. In it is scripture reminding you how God loves you. Don't you realize that God prepared this time for you? How awesome is that?"
She cried. I cried. Awesome God moment..
God moment #2
My second guest rang the door bell 3o minutes before my 'party' officially ended. As I invited her in to sit down, my phone rang. "Safe Families" was on the caller I.D. Our family had been waiting months to hear the news that we were registered as a safe family for at risk kids. As I answered the phone, the Safe Family social worker said, "Bridgette, all your paper work is finished except for 1 thing. We need a friend to give your family a reference before we can place a child in your home." There stood my friend next to me, just at the right time, to give a reference to the social worker over the phone.
God moment #3:
I was in Starbucks waiting for Hannah to get out of dance class. 2 ladies walk in and sat next to me. One lady turned and said, "Are you Jewish?" The other lady looked at me and said, "Of course she isn't! You can tell by looking at her!" Before I could even speak up, one of the women started telling me how a Christian acquaintance of hers said that the Jews were responsible for killing Jesus. They then both stared at me. REALLY God! You just sat 2 Jewish women down next to me at Starbucks that had questions about Christianity and I never even approached them. They listened to all I had to say and wanted to see me again the following Wednesday to talk more.
All I can say...God is awesome.
Stay tuned for more of December 2012 God moments.
As I was reading the Psalms, I kept feeling a prompting to open my home up for a drop-in. A place where women could stop in and have cider, to pray and a place of rest during the busy shopping season. I kept getting the word, "fortress", as I was reading scripture. This word was impressed upon me in the sense that my home was to be a fortress. As I was mulling the idea over, unexpectedly, a priest I work with, Fr. Guidry, told me a story about how his dad opened their home every December for anyone that wanted to stop in, have homemade coconut cake, a little peach brandy and visit. He said his home was always full of people all month long, just coming and going. At that moment, I felt God was confirming to me that he wanted me open my home.
I didn't want to do it! I was afraid. I was afraid to send out a bunch of invitations and then have people not show up. I didn't want to have to tell anyone, when they asked how my party was, "No one came over." I finally obeyed God in fear and faith and e-mailed 65 people.
The party was set for 9 a.m. I had out my nice china, wassail, chocolates, Christmas music was playing and candles were lit. By 9:30 no one had arrived and I was crushed. I could feel the tears in my eyes as I prayed for God to protect my heart.
God moment #1:
At 9:45 my doorbell rang. A friend was standing on my front step. She said, "Is there anyone here?" I told her that no one had come. (yep- I felt like a loser.) She said, "I didn't want to come over today. I don't want to have to socialize with a bunch of people. But I need to talk to someone." I invited her in and with great emotion, she began sharing with me devastating news that was happening in her life. After an hour passed, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had given her the gift of a "fortress". A place of safety and rest.
The night before, I had printed out 'Love Letters from God' for each of my guests. There lie the 50 letters untouched on my table. I said to her, "This letter was meant for you. In it is scripture reminding you how God loves you. Don't you realize that God prepared this time for you? How awesome is that?"
She cried. I cried. Awesome God moment..
God moment #2
My second guest rang the door bell 3o minutes before my 'party' officially ended. As I invited her in to sit down, my phone rang. "Safe Families" was on the caller I.D. Our family had been waiting months to hear the news that we were registered as a safe family for at risk kids. As I answered the phone, the Safe Family social worker said, "Bridgette, all your paper work is finished except for 1 thing. We need a friend to give your family a reference before we can place a child in your home." There stood my friend next to me, just at the right time, to give a reference to the social worker over the phone.
God moment #3:
I was in Starbucks waiting for Hannah to get out of dance class. 2 ladies walk in and sat next to me. One lady turned and said, "Are you Jewish?" The other lady looked at me and said, "Of course she isn't! You can tell by looking at her!" Before I could even speak up, one of the women started telling me how a Christian acquaintance of hers said that the Jews were responsible for killing Jesus. They then both stared at me. REALLY God! You just sat 2 Jewish women down next to me at Starbucks that had questions about Christianity and I never even approached them. They listened to all I had to say and wanted to see me again the following Wednesday to talk more.
All I can say...God is awesome.
Stay tuned for more of December 2012 God moments.
Christmas 2011
I always have amazing God moments at Christmas. In December of 2011, I prayed and asked God to show me a family that was in need of gifts.
Day 1 after my prayer:
A mother told me she wouldn't be able to provide Christmas gifts for her children that year. I said in an act of faith (we had no money to buy for others) that I would like to buy her 2 boys the gifts that she needed. Within an hour of sharing the story with a bystander, I had women chip in enough money to buy a 500 dollar gift card for her and her husband so they could go out and have fun buying gifts for their boys.
Day 2 after my prayer:
I received a 400 dollar bonus check from work. My first instinct was to run out and spend the money at the mall, but I felt God saying to me to hold on to the check; He had other plans for the money. So I set the check aside.
Day 3 after my prayer:
I went to bible study at church and one of the leaders came forward explaining that a family was in need of someone to pay their mortgage that month. They needed a check for 400 dollars. I knew the check I had been holding was for them.
Day 4 after my prayer:
A mom from my children's school approached me telling me she had no money to buy her 3 boys gifts for Christmas. I told her I would buy her boys the gifts. As I was praying about how God was going to provide the presents, a mother pulled into the parking lot of the school. She asked me how I was doing and I told her about the situation. She opened the trunk of her car and in the back was a mound of gifts already wrapped for her own children...boys the same age as the mom in need. She said, "Take them. I'll buy more gifts for my kids." I thanked her, called the mother in need and told her to meet me at my house. When she came over I opened up my car and told her God had provided the gifts she wanted.
And that was Christmas 2011!
Day 1 after my prayer:
A mother told me she wouldn't be able to provide Christmas gifts for her children that year. I said in an act of faith (we had no money to buy for others) that I would like to buy her 2 boys the gifts that she needed. Within an hour of sharing the story with a bystander, I had women chip in enough money to buy a 500 dollar gift card for her and her husband so they could go out and have fun buying gifts for their boys.
Day 2 after my prayer:
I received a 400 dollar bonus check from work. My first instinct was to run out and spend the money at the mall, but I felt God saying to me to hold on to the check; He had other plans for the money. So I set the check aside.
Day 3 after my prayer:
I went to bible study at church and one of the leaders came forward explaining that a family was in need of someone to pay their mortgage that month. They needed a check for 400 dollars. I knew the check I had been holding was for them.
Day 4 after my prayer:
A mom from my children's school approached me telling me she had no money to buy her 3 boys gifts for Christmas. I told her I would buy her boys the gifts. As I was praying about how God was going to provide the presents, a mother pulled into the parking lot of the school. She asked me how I was doing and I told her about the situation. She opened the trunk of her car and in the back was a mound of gifts already wrapped for her own children...boys the same age as the mom in need. She said, "Take them. I'll buy more gifts for my kids." I thanked her, called the mother in need and told her to meet me at my house. When she came over I opened up my car and told her God had provided the gifts she wanted.
And that was Christmas 2011!
Monday, December 17, 2012
My Journey Begins
Kids, I want you to know what happened. I want you to see how God moved in my life so that your faith will be strengthened. This blog will be a tool for me as well, so I can look back and remember, and be reassured that God is real and His promises are true.
This is my legacy I'm leaving for you.
This is my legacy I'm leaving for you.
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