“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” Matthew 6:22 NIV

On Sunday’s, July 4th and 11th, I attended two different church services, one in Pittsburg, and the other my home church. It was amazing to meet in person with the entire congregation. In my home church, we had already begun to meet by region, but this was the first time all the regions came together. It was amazing to be in person. The song I had been singing all week at home to myself was part of the worship songs that Sunday, “Fill me up Lord with your spirit”. My husband even commented on my ability to follow the song leader (notice I said “follow”, not “sing” like the song leader). I thought my body was going to burst open. It was so good to hear Andre McRae lead our worship songs. Finally came the speaking of the evangelist. What would he say? What would his words be? Excitement filled my soul and then I heard this for the second time; “... March 8 was the last time we met together as a whole church ...”  The first time was when I was in Pittsburg. I was happy to be part of their first in-person service since the pandemic. This time in my home church, hearing that statement, I felt different but I wasn't sure why. I gave myself permission to be in touch with what I felt and discovered that, since March 8 is my birthday, I didn’t like that March 8 was followed by the words, “the last time...” 

Yes, March 8 was the last time we met as a congregation physically but it was also the beginning of building memories I never thought I would.

One thing I have learned this past year is that perspective is everything. March 8, 2020 signifies for me the beginning of an adventure. 

“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 MSG.

I love the translation of this scripture. That is how I feel, that March 8, 2020 was when I stood at a crossroads and needed to decide, will I be the woman God created me to be for a time such as this?  Will I allow God to use me even if it makes me uncomfortable?  Will I be okay trusting God as I embark into the unknown?

Everyone who knows me personally, knows the unknown is a big trigger for me. In the past, it would literally paralyzed me. March 7, 2020 the day before I turned 49, I was speaking for a Women Service in Pittsburg. My friend, Cathy Rosenquist and her husband, parents of James Rosenquist, recommend that they invite my husband and I to facilitate a parent devotional for their church members. Cory and I were honored by the invitation, we said yes and went. We must have done a good job, because as they encouraged us for allowing God to use us, I jokingly said to Elaina; “Hey, if you ever need a woman speaker let me know.” I have been a guest speaker for spanish-speaking women conferences. I was a guest speaker in the U.S twice but those were also in spanish. Our women’s day is an event that most of our family of churches host annually, so I figured she might be planning one in the near future and I had challenged myself that week to put myself out there more to serve God’s ladies in this way. 

To my surprise she replied without hesitation after giving her husband a look that I soon found out what it meant. “Can you come next month? We are having our Women’s Service. The theme is, “In His Image.”  I was blown away that she had an offer right away. After laughing at her quick response. I said okay let’s talk about it. We spoke later that week.  She really was serious and I became their women’s day guest speaker for March 7, 2020. 

God knew that the message I taught to all those women was one I would need to remember for the rest of 2020 and to today. 

I had no idea, like many of you, all that was coming my way. However I learned that by remembering that I am created in God’s image will get me through every adventure I find myself in. Yes, there is much hurt and pain; and sometimes, words can fall short of conveying the sorrow and grief in all those painful circumstances. But, there is also much I can boast about when it comes to the past year and half.   

Even though I haven’t mastered how to not fear the unknown, one thing I believe is whether it comes with sorrow or joy, the past year was the beginning of discovering in a deeper way, that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.