Four years ago today my beloved son, Philip went home to be with Jesus. Words will never, ever be able to express the grief, that we still feel and the huge void in my heart that will always belong to Philip.
However, last year I wrote a blog called Restoration Day. I want to copy it over so you can recall it; then I will give the update.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
RESTORATION DAY
Some of you that read this blog know that today is the day my son, Philip passed away. November 19th of course will forever be a date that stops my heart for a moment, floods my eyes with tears, and fills my soul with much pain. First the day was referred to as "the anniversary of my son's death", then it was "the anniversary of Philip's home going". Neither of these titles fit any longer. For this week God has done something miraculous in my heart and my soul. November will and forever more be referred to as "Restoration Day".
satan (and yes I most certainly meant to put a little s) has stolen from me ENOUGH! I am no longer going to sit on the sidelines and watch as one after one of the people I love are destroyed by the enemy. It is time for Christians to wake up to the death and destruction that surround each of us, that has affected each of us in one way or another. It is no longer enough to: put them on the prayer chain, pray for them when they cross our mind, begin earnestly praying for them after they have gone so far that their life is utterly destroyed. No, I am not waiting, I am fighting. There is time for praying (which is always) and there is a time for Fighting and Praying!
My friend that time has come in my life.
Every November 19th from here on I will Celebrate! I will celebrate that Philip is with Jesus, and I will celebrate the souls that I have seen restored over the year! I will see Philip again soon, and I am taking with me his Dad, his sister Kacey, Matt and John-Philip, his Wife Rhonda and his Children Madison and Malachi. YES I AM!!! But that is not enough. I am taking his grandparents, his cousins, his friends, his aunts and his uncles. YES I AM!!!
I am not sitting back any longer. I am running out of time. My alarm has gone off, the wake-up call has been received. I have answered and I am on my way to work.
This is where you come in...PRAY FOR ME! I am not naive enough to think that it will be smooth sailing, but I know who my Captain is. I am working for One who speaks and the winds and waves obey his voice. As a matter of fact He made them.
This simple and heavily quoted verses says it all. This is what God is doing in my life.
"He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalms 23:3
.
I want to tell as many as I can about the love of Jesus. I want to tell them about the great "Restorer", He can restore and He wants to restore lives. I am living proof.
People don't just wake up one day and say "you know, I think I am going to quit on God today, I don't want to serve Him, I don't trust Him, I am going to get as far into sin as I can and leave God and destroy my family. No it happens over time. It happens after a few hurts, some anger, some disappointment. But it happens...every day, it happens. I want to tell them and make them believe that they can be restored through the Great Restorer my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. These things could just as easily happen to me or to you. We make decisions everyday to serve God, to do right. I don't have to tell you how fast it can happen. If you have been around any length of time, you know it. Don't let it take death and destruction in your own family to realize the pain of those around you. I don't have the time to preach an entire sermon but you get the jist of it!
I have been earnestly praying for God's divine, perfect will for my life and this is where He has lead me. I don't know yet what all it entails. I am just taking one step at a time. I know I have a work to do. Call it a Ministry, a Work, whatever you want, I call it God's will for my life.
My dear friend Nina named the "Ministry". I told her the new name for November 19th, then I shared with her my heart, my burden, and my excitement to go after my family, friends, fellow Christians, and strangers. She said with a big smile Operation Restoration. So there it is my friends please pray for "Operation Restoration"!
satan (and yes I most certainly meant to put a little s) has stolen from me ENOUGH! I am no longer going to sit on the sidelines and watch as one after one of the people I love are destroyed by the enemy. It is time for Christians to wake up to the death and destruction that surround each of us, that has affected each of us in one way or another. It is no longer enough to: put them on the prayer chain, pray for them when they cross our mind, begin earnestly praying for them after they have gone so far that their life is utterly destroyed. No, I am not waiting, I am fighting. There is time for praying (which is always) and there is a time for Fighting and Praying!
My friend that time has come in my life.
Every November 19th from here on I will Celebrate! I will celebrate that Philip is with Jesus, and I will celebrate the souls that I have seen restored over the year! I will see Philip again soon, and I am taking with me his Dad, his sister Kacey, Matt and John-Philip, his Wife Rhonda and his Children Madison and Malachi. YES I AM!!! But that is not enough. I am taking his grandparents, his cousins, his friends, his aunts and his uncles. YES I AM!!!
I am not sitting back any longer. I am running out of time. My alarm has gone off, the wake-up call has been received. I have answered and I am on my way to work.
This is where you come in...PRAY FOR ME! I am not naive enough to think that it will be smooth sailing, but I know who my Captain is. I am working for One who speaks and the winds and waves obey his voice. As a matter of fact He made them.
This simple and heavily quoted verses says it all. This is what God is doing in my life.
"He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalms 23:3
.
I want to tell as many as I can about the love of Jesus. I want to tell them about the great "Restorer", He can restore and He wants to restore lives. I am living proof.
People don't just wake up one day and say "you know, I think I am going to quit on God today, I don't want to serve Him, I don't trust Him, I am going to get as far into sin as I can and leave God and destroy my family. No it happens over time. It happens after a few hurts, some anger, some disappointment. But it happens...every day, it happens. I want to tell them and make them believe that they can be restored through the Great Restorer my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. These things could just as easily happen to me or to you. We make decisions everyday to serve God, to do right. I don't have to tell you how fast it can happen. If you have been around any length of time, you know it. Don't let it take death and destruction in your own family to realize the pain of those around you. I don't have the time to preach an entire sermon but you get the jist of it!
I have been earnestly praying for God's divine, perfect will for my life and this is where He has lead me. I don't know yet what all it entails. I am just taking one step at a time. I know I have a work to do. Call it a Ministry, a Work, whatever you want, I call it God's will for my life.
My dear friend Nina named the "Ministry". I told her the new name for November 19th, then I shared with her my heart, my burden, and my excitement to go after my family, friends, fellow Christians, and strangers. She said with a big smile Operation Restoration. So there it is my friends please pray for "Operation Restoration"!
Well, let me begin by telling you what has happened in the last 12 months. Last year at this same time we were facing some heartache with a very close member of our family. She was beginning a relationship with someone that was not hers to begin a relationship with. This hurt not only us but many people. We struggled and struggled with it, we hurt so deeply for all involved, and....we PRAYED, and WE PRAYED, and WE PRAYED. About one month ago, I was having my morning devotion and I truly gave that burden to God. I totally surrendered, I told Him I could not carry it any longer, and that I totally trusted that He would take care of it. Two weeks ago He fixed it. The man went back to RESTORE his marriage and family. The second half is going to be when (She), the member of our family realizes the truth of the situation and allows God to take control of her life and put the man there that He has for her. It is going to happen and I expect nothing less than God's perfect plan to be completed.....soon.
In March we got to see our grandsons that we had not seen in four years. In April, the oldest one was beaten by his mother's boyfriend, and was in the hospital for over 5 1/2 months. He died three times. He is alive and recovering at home with his dad! What a miracle! You can read all about these miracles in the blogs about R.J.
My daughter, Kacey and her husband Matt have been really struggling with their marriage. Many times it looked as if there were no way it would survive. Again, through prayer and complete surrender to God...another miracle. Matt got saved about a month ago... (the same time as the first miracle) We were afraid to go to sleep one night because we were afraid we would miss something, for God was doing so much. So, Matt got saved and he and Kacey look like newlyweds, and now he believes that God has called him to preach!
I have a niece named Ima Joy who was doing drugs and living a wasted life. When finally reaching bottom she called for help. My dear friend Cathy, took her to UAB hospital and then set up a way for her to get to Teen Challenge. Ima Joy had several days to back out, because of the delays in getting everything set up. She didn't back out and has made 60 days now and we are going for our second visit to her on Saturday. RESTORATION! To see this beautiful girl whose life was all but over, transformed into a beautiful, peaceful, young woman loving and living for Jesus....WOW!
You know I really should write these things as I go because I know I have forgotten some, I will try to do better next time. It is hard to try and keep up with God, because He is so good, there is not enough time in the day to record all He does for us.
I LOVE HIM, I THANK HIM, AND I PRAISE HIM FOR HE IS TRULY SO VERY FAITHFUL. I really think I have come to the place in my life where I truly trust my father. If asked I would always say, "of course I trust Him", but did I really?
I believe that total surrender and true faith in my Father has allowed me to be front and center to His miraculous power. It is so exciting. The down side is how long it took me to get here.
Don't think for a second I think that "I have arrived", because I know that won't happen until I see Him face to face. However, I do know I am closer than I have ever been. I still respond to things the wrong way and handle things the wrong way, and I kick myself, because I realize I cheat myself out of blessings and out of being affective for Christ's sake. I just want to be a good soldier in the Army of God.
We are facing some things now that could really drag one down, but I know that God is aware of it and He will carry us through as always, I just want to keep on trusting Him.
It has been a long, hard year. A year filled with disappointment, pain, and lots and lots of tears, but....It has all been worth it to learn to trust God.
