Today was an amazing day. I woke up thinking I needed to go to Newport and run some errands… so when we woke up… we went! Since the beginning of the Lenten season Ashley has been doing her fast of obedience which has not only been an amazing experience for her but for me. For one it’s inspirational to watch God work through her in such a powerful way, and for two it is showing me that when we walk in what the Lord has for us, powerful things happen for the Kingdom! Ashley’s fast consist of following the voice of God to do something for someone each day! And it’s almost scary because she doesn’t always know what it will be when she wakes up. In fact not one time has she known yet. This would terrify me, and I can imagine she is in deep communion with God a lot in this process… lol.
Today… as we were driving down the road in Newport about to go to a salon so I could get my bushy eyebrows waxed… she said “I feel like God wants me to ask a perfect stranger if they need anything…” I was like WOW… that sounds intense… she laughed. I could tell she was feeling slightly tried at the moment, but she was willing, and that was beautiful to me =) So at the salon I was getting my eyebrows waxed by this wonderful woman named Roxann. She was so good at her job, and she had such a deep motherly instinct. She was very compassionate and if possible to be while waxing eyebrows, she was gentle.
When I was all done, we stood in the front and talked to her and her wonderfully adorable co-worker Kate. Who told me she is getting married in 6 months!!! We got to talking about God, and Roxann told us that God was the reason that she owned her shop! Ashley said “Oh… how is that?” She told us her story about how doors were being closed left and right on her in Portland. One day her brother called up and told her that there was a great little shop for sale in Newport. She told him she wasn’t interested in the coast… she would never live there. Well we all know what happens when we say never to God, lol. He will almost always work it out! HAHA… so there she found herself 10 years ago, and she has loved it ever since!!!
Ashley suddenly asked them if she could tell them a story. She began telling them all about her Lenten fast, and that on that particular day God had told her to ask a stranger if they needed anything. They both shrugged, and looked at her in an almost shock. And then Roxann said “You know what I could really use is a prayer. My husband is really sick… infact you could pray now… go ahead!” Ashley lit up!!! This was so what she knew God had for her today, you could see the joy from knowing that her and God were so in tune in that moment. I was excited to be there to just catch the glow of the Holy Spirit lifting off her as we all bowed our heads to hear the prayer that God was going to speak through Ashley. It was beautiful! Full of the Holy Spirit… full of Love, full of JESUS! God has such a heart for Roxann…
I was inspired. I realized that although sometimes it is scary to live in the things that God gives us… it is glorious! If we are able to push past the fear, then God can use us in mighty ways… and to know that God wants to use me… you… us… in these powerful healing and amazing moments makes little bumps of excitement pop up on my arm as I write it!
Today… as we were driving down the road in Newport about to go to a salon so I could get my bushy eyebrows waxed… she said “I feel like God wants me to ask a perfect stranger if they need anything…” I was like WOW… that sounds intense… she laughed. I could tell she was feeling slightly tried at the moment, but she was willing, and that was beautiful to me =) So at the salon I was getting my eyebrows waxed by this wonderful woman named Roxann. She was so good at her job, and she had such a deep motherly instinct. She was very compassionate and if possible to be while waxing eyebrows, she was gentle.
When I was all done, we stood in the front and talked to her and her wonderfully adorable co-worker Kate. Who told me she is getting married in 6 months!!! We got to talking about God, and Roxann told us that God was the reason that she owned her shop! Ashley said “Oh… how is that?” She told us her story about how doors were being closed left and right on her in Portland. One day her brother called up and told her that there was a great little shop for sale in Newport. She told him she wasn’t interested in the coast… she would never live there. Well we all know what happens when we say never to God, lol. He will almost always work it out! HAHA… so there she found herself 10 years ago, and she has loved it ever since!!!
Ashley suddenly asked them if she could tell them a story. She began telling them all about her Lenten fast, and that on that particular day God had told her to ask a stranger if they needed anything. They both shrugged, and looked at her in an almost shock. And then Roxann said “You know what I could really use is a prayer. My husband is really sick… infact you could pray now… go ahead!” Ashley lit up!!! This was so what she knew God had for her today, you could see the joy from knowing that her and God were so in tune in that moment. I was excited to be there to just catch the glow of the Holy Spirit lifting off her as we all bowed our heads to hear the prayer that God was going to speak through Ashley. It was beautiful! Full of the Holy Spirit… full of Love, full of JESUS! God has such a heart for Roxann…
I was inspired. I realized that although sometimes it is scary to live in the things that God gives us… it is glorious! If we are able to push past the fear, then God can use us in mighty ways… and to know that God wants to use me… you… us… in these powerful healing and amazing moments makes little bumps of excitement pop up on my arm as I write it!
GOD WANTS TO USE US!!!! God wants us to take a giant step, and not look back! God wants us to fix our gaze on him, so that we can finally for the first time see more clearly than we ever have! God has a job for us…
The more I realize this the more I realize God has so much to bless us with. More than I could ever repay… There is nothing that I could even come close to giving God, that would match what He has for us. He is in pursuit of my heart! He wants to fill us up so that we can be His warriors, and give hugs and share love on behalf of Jesus Christ!!! And in the meantime… we get to spend time with the greatest lover of our souls! The ultimate Father… the most magnificent friend! All I have to say… SIGN ME UP!!!! I’m there!!!
God wasn’t done. He had more people for us to meet and some beautiful images to share with us! We went to Waldport… just to see it. It’s a cute little place on the coast =) We rolled up to this little beach where you can see the Waldport bridge. When we first arrived nobody was there… And we were already taken by the beautiful things that God was showing us, sea lions playing, birds swimming and skimming across the ripples that you can sometimes see in the still water of a bay. I was very thankful for the camera that God blessed me with through Julie! I was using it to worship Him! To glorify his awesome creativity!
After we had been there a little bit a woman came out onto the beach with her beautiful dog… The dog came over to say hi, and I struck up a conversation with the owner. Ashley soon joined us, and before we knew it we were all deep in a conversation about the cuteness of her dog, the beauty of the bay… and then a little bit about her life story. We found out that she was an incredible woman, with an incredible story. She had already survived cancer! She was adopted! She had be reconciled with her real parents! Ashley and I were just so excited to be able to share a little Jesus with her and listen to her incredible story, that would honestly be worth sitting with her for hours to hear! God again had showed up in a huge way! Showed us his heart for someone else in this already overwhelmingly fantastic day!
Not over! We then met another guy… and his dog Simone. Gorgeous dog! At the same time that this conversation was going on the sun was setting behind the ocean and a small part of land. God was literally setting the sky ablaze with pinks, and oranges, and unimaginable colors that made you almost want to cry from seeing something that beautiful… something that… GOD! It turned out that this man had just had his heart broken after a 7 year relationship and was finding Waldport a very lonely place to be alone. I was thankful that God again showed us his heart for someone! I know I will be praying!
On the way home we stopped at another beach to run in the waves and feel the ocean kiss our feet! To be close to something that holds deeply the reality of what God is! Something so much bigger than us, full of mystery, and power!
Then I got to talk to Julie =) Who lifted me again, and we had a wonderful conversation about captivating and singleness. She told me something tonight that hit me hard. It’s not just about being happy in your singleness… its about what you do while you are single! What is God planning to do through you while you are single!? That is a good question!
I also got to talk to my new and wonderful friend from Canada, who has been a rich source of inspiration for me. He lives deeply in the love of Jesus Christ, and is allowing God to take him on a journey right now that has paralleled my life in an interesting way, and he has been used as a vessel to show me the love and pursuit of God for me… That God is doing a work in my heart, and has things for me to do! YAY!
I LOVE YOU LORD!!!!!! I LIFT MY HEART TO YOU!!!!!
1 comment:
Heather, it brings me great joy that you and Ashley are waking up each day expecting to see God. Expecting to find someone that day that you can share Christ with. It is a blessing to witness it!! Love you!
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