You Talkin To Me?

I know I’m not the only one that this has ever happened to, but has anyone ever been in church and you felt like there was no one else there but you and the Pastor? Like he was talking just to you? I ‘ve had these experiences before and this past Sunday, Dec 27,2009 was one of them. I think I’ll never forget it. My pastor, Pastor Greijack was talking about the Christmas story, but in a way I’ve never thought about it before. He talked about Mary. About the circumstances in which Jesus Christ, our savior came to this earth. He was born in a stable! There were no doctors or midwives, no epidurals, no medical equipment to monitor contractions. Just Joseph and Mary on a dirty stable floor and the moonlight shining through the walls. It was a labor of love. Can you imagine the pain and panic that swept over them? Can you wrap your mind around it? Can you imagine if that was the circumstances in which you had to give birth? I cannot fathom it. But Mary knew something. And so did Joseph. They had a promise. They had a dream! And so they had great courage and faith in their Heavenly Father! Have you ever been given a promise from God? Have you ever had a dream that you know was placed inside of you by Him? And have you ever had the circumstances around you work against that promise and that dream? I have. I am experiencing it now. I’ve only spoken this dream out loud to just a small handful of people closest to me, but I figure I’ve already made myself pretty vulnerable already so I might as well go all the way. It has been my desire since I was in 6th grade to be a published author. My passion is writing. If I was smart, I would have pursued this desire after high school, but I had other things in mind at the time. So now here I am, 31 years old with no training in this area. I know it takes more than training, it takes talent. And I believe I have that, but the fear of my lack of training and education has held me back. There’s that dirty four letter word again…FEAR. But this past Sunday, I felt hope rising. Courage taking root. At the end of the message, our pastor said something that struck a nerve deep within me. What I have inside of me, this desire, is from my Daddy. He started it and birthed it and He will finish it! HE’S my baby’s daddy! Right before the birth of something extraordinary is usually the greatest obstacle that you will face. But just like Mary, even though the circumstances didn’t seem right for her to birth this miracle that was placed inside of her, the circumstances around me don’t seem right for my dream to come true. But she kept walking. Her and Joseph, hand in hand until they found the stable. And this is what my pastor said that struck a nerve within me. I’m just supposed to keep walking. And while I’m walking, God is working! Keep walking. Keep writing. He’s working! I’m about to give birth to the greatest miracle of my life so far. And I’ve had some pretty incredible miracles in my life. But nothing is impossible for God! I want you to be encouraged too. What’s your dream? What do you feel God has placed inside of you? It’s not impossible for Him to fulfill it! I’ve listened to this message from Sunday 5 times today and each time, I feel my faith rising. I say YES LORD to your will for my life. Whatever it is in this area, let it be done!

Listen to the message for yourself. It's titled Pain and Panic

http://http://www.freshfiremedia.mypodcast.com/