Celebrating!

Today is a day to celebrate! It's Broken but Priceless Ministries' third birthday and my one year anniversary all rolled into one fabulous day! As Erin and I were planning how to celebrate this special day we went over a few numbers. We discovered that in the last 28 days alone we've engaged with thousands of people from at least 39 countries. Can you believe that?! We know we've talked to a lot of people and our Facebook Page is growing like crazy, but thousands of people in at least 39 countries? It's incredible! We feel so blessed and humbled and amazed. 


I don't know why I'm always so amazed when God does something incredible...something I think is impossible. Five and a half years ago when I got really sick my life changed forever. Three years ago when it became clear that I wouldn't be able to go overseas I thought God was done using me. Oh sure, I thought He could probably do a little here and there through me, but seriously, how much impact can a person have who is confined to their home and ill? How much impact did the Apostle Paul have while locked away in prison? Point taken! God can use anybody, no matter the circumstance.

I knew what I wanted in life from a pretty young age. I wanted to change the world. I wanted to go overseas and introduce people to Jesus. I wanted to share the Gospel of Christ in word and deed. I wanted to make an impact and leave this world just a little bit closer to Jesus. When I got sick I thought that was all taken away. 

Little did I know what God had in store for my life! He has given me the opportunity to share the Gospel on a regular basis. He has given me the opportunity to share His Word with hundreds of people on almost a daily basis. He's allowing me to encourage people who are desperate for something, anything, to ease their pain and fill their hearts. He's given me the opportunity to be faithful to Him and glorify Him in the midst of pain and suffering. I don't always do a very good job, but God's teaching me and growing me and using me in spite of myself. 

As I reflect on this past year and the years ahead...quite possibly healthy years...I am humbled and amazed and excited. I don't know what God is going to do, but I know that it will be good because He is good. 

God's been teaching me something this year that I want to share with you. Early in the year God kept nudging something into my brain. I didn't like it and tried to ignore it, but He kept pushing. I had the strong realization that I had been asking God for the easy way out. I had been asking Him to heal my body, but I wasn't doing my part. The Holy Spirit was convicting me. He made it clear that if I wanted God to heal my body I had to do my part in taking care of it. On March 3, thanks to my dad and his example, I started eating healthy. If he could do it, so could I! I cut out processed foods, dairy and grains - things that I later found were severely damaging my body. This was hard to do because I was sick and making real food took a lot of energy. However, I quickly noticed that eating healthier food gave me more energy. I was able to quit taking a powerful medicine with horrible side effects, just because I changed the way I eat. At the end of May God led me to Dr. Sara and He is using her to continue the process of healing in my life. In fact, on my last 3 day trip she sent me home after the first day. I was doing so well I didn't have to stay the last two days! The next step in this process of taking care of my body is to start exercising regularly; another challenge I'm not looking forward to, but I know will be good for me!

I say all of this not only as personal reflection, but also to encourage you. If you think that God can't use you, you're wrong. If you think that God doesn't have a plan for your life, you're wrong. If you think that you don't matter in this world, you're wrong. God has great plans for you! Don't be afraid to take the road less traveled. Don't be afraid to go down a path you aren't familiar with. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to be the person God has created you to be. He has given you gifts and talents, use them for His glory. No person anywhere in all the earth can worship God in the same way you can. Worship Him in word and deed. Love others as God is loving you. Make yourself available. Say yes to the unexpected. Say no to things that will take your eyes off Jesus. If you're going to be busy with something, be busy spending time with God. Live life to the fullest!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." ~Jesus (John 10:10, ESV)