I had to blog this because I am just totally AWED!  My heart is still skipping beats as I type this! :)  I know that I shouldn't be so blown away by it because God is always talking to us and He's always working but I, myself, can just be too loud on my own to hear Him sometimes.  But, just this morning as I was headed to church, I had such a breath taking encounter and visit with God, I mean it was so breath taking that I almost had to pull over.  But it was SO INCREDIBLY WONDERFUL.  Well, during this wonderful time with God, He flashed across my mind that I shouldn't be surprised if Calon (my oldest for those of you who don't know) was at church today.  He hasn't been coming in quite some time, like at least a couple of years, but we have been praying for him.  He has a wonderful heart and he knows the truth and I believe he is saved but I know he needs a church family.  Anyway, so I went to church fully believing he very well may be there.  Well, he did show, but I wasn't sad just thought okay God's working though. 

Later, he came by the house to pick up some stuff I had for him and as we were talking, he said he had just eaten at Macaroni Grill....after CHURCH!  I said, what??  He said he had gone to church with some friends.  Now, I know it wasn't "my" church bldg but God had let me know this morning that Calon was going to church today...and I don't care what bldg it's in as long as it is a church that lifts up the Name of Jesus Christ as the one and only Son of God and our Savior (and this was!)!  There was no talking to Calon before that would have led me to have this idea that he might go to church at all, this was totally God letting me know that he was.  I am having mixed feelings of being so thankful & joyful that Calon was at a church and me believing God is drawing him along, and feelings of awe, joy, and being overwhelmed by how He can be SO personal, SO CLOSE.  Pastor preached this morning on how we are friends of God and how we should remember who we are in Christ Jesus and this happening has so made me feel like a princess - daughter of THE KING!  

I just wanted to share this because God deserves all the glory, praise, thankfulness, honor, and love I can give him and letting others know obviously, is praise and can speak to someone too.  It's really cool how it's a two way street.  This a.m. Pastor Scott put a twist on the scripture "The joy of the Lord is my strength" that I had never thought of before.  I always thought that the joy in our hearts because of the Lord living in our hearts gives us strength, and it does!!!  But he said that when we give joy to the Lord, that is our strength (I believe that's what he said, correct me if I'm wrong Pastor!) :)  And that's true too because as we live in obedience which gives joy to the Lord, we are strengthened.  So either way, by causing the Lord to be joyful, we are strengthened and taking joy in our Lord we are strengthened....no wonder "no weapon formed against us can prosper"!

God bless!

Joni