okay guys how are you? I have like a praise report it just happened hot off
the presses so I was like you know what I have not done a journey share this
week maybe not now last week either let me get one in so um so I was I mentioned
a little bit on the last fireside chat that or journey share evening that you
know you know I had basically been asking God like for you know I've been
talking to him throughout the course of the day just like learning that I can do
that and just like it doesn't have to be a designated of time whatever and so I
just been asking about things that are you know I'm like hey you know what
should I do about a job situation like yada yada yada and it's good but you
know I was like you know what this morning it was probably like Wednesday
or something I was just like you know what like I've been asking you for a
lot of things Kim seems kind of one-sided like what can I do for you
like how can I serve you today and let me tell you so the same day then this
lady who I'd sat next to in church in early February that I felt like was a
God appointment because I wanted to start serving in the children's ministry
and she like got me hooked up to the children's pastor like so fast and you
know I was able to fill out the paperwork and stuff and so I hadn't
finalized the last piece and so she texts me that same day that I would ask
God like what can I do for you and how can I serve you and like it was asking
me about like could I work this Sunday at the children's ministry and so I was
like oh my god this is so cool so I was like let me um let me reach out to my
dad and ask him because we were supposed to do like celebrate his birthday that
same Sunday just but we hadn't nailed down the exact time that day so I talked
to him and then he goes on and he tells me like oh sure Tamia because you know
obviously I'm gonna be going to church that day and I told about it he told me
his conversion story a little bit of it and then he told me about like his call
to work with children and it was just amazing and then he told me about my
little sisters who are like five and seven and so in like how about them
wanting to be baptized and saying like I want to be the church I want to get
today and so anyway I just was like astounded that it was like I heard this
testimony I asked God how could I help and serve today and then he connected me
back with Rachel who had met at church like a month and a half before and so
today I'm in the church parking lot I met with the youth pastor Nancy and
because I'm going to be serving on on Sunday and so that's great in itself but
like y'all I'm gonna tell you about this meeting with Nancy so you know I
filled out the little questionnaires like you know just asking kind of a
little bit about your walk or why do you want to serve with kids it was it was
good questions and so but she just like kind of went a little deeper she was
like well tell me more about that totally like this awakening that you've
had because that's what I call it this rest attention and so in a little bit
about your your your you know past history or whatever so told her a little
about that told her about this and so I'm like I'm trying to articulate like
what I've been like experiencing and the just change and the the truths that I
understand deeply and have experienced now as a result of being in the rest
intensive and I'm like I don't know if I'm articulating it but she was like
yeah yeah she's like I'm tracking with you I'm tracking with you I really am
and so and I was like okay and then she started to talk and I promise you y'all
she was using some of the same terms that Ashley was using I was like dang
look you really are tracking with me like you really get it and so I just
started like crying because I just was like when she walked me through like the
schedule for the kids in the heart of like the ministry and what she wanted
what they wanted to get across to the kids it just was like I was like oh my
golly this really was a god appointment because it they are teaching the kids
like the same stuff or similar stuff that we're we've been learning in the
rest intensive and that's been my heart this whole time I just was like when I
started to like when it started clicking I was like oh my god like I just want I
don't want kids to have to I don't want people to have to wait to their 44 to
get this like I want them to be able to understand it from a young age and grow
up in their faith at this level you know that we're experiencing now and so
I'm like not mad at God I'm just like astounded because that's exactly what it
is and she was like you know what the number one thing I
I want the kids to be safe.
She's like, the second thing is,
I want them to like experience God and encounter God.
And she's like, if we get to the,
and then she was like, if we get to, if we get that,
then the third thing is this, that they know that,
you know, and she just was going through it
and I just was like, oh my gosh.
So I know that, I don't know if you can understand this,
but like, I'm like really excited.
I don't know if I'm explaining it correctly,
but long story short is that God answers prayers
and I love that he has put this desire in my heart
and he's like plugged me in to the place
where I can express this.
And also I think about it just now and I get emotional
because I was at this church in the spring,
March of last year,
when I was just really going through some challenging times
and stuff and God really like used this,
like the body here, whether it's just purely in worship
or going up for prayer to like really like speak to my heart
and the fact that like now I'm just like,
I see like God, he knew it all along.
He knew where I was gonna be in this moment
and he really did, you know,
and he led me to this point,
but he already knew, you know, back last spring
and then he knows even, you know, next year.
So I'm just like, just overjoyed,
heart full of gratitude because he's just amazing.
It's just another episode of experiencing,
like experiencing his love.
And so I just wanted to share that with y'all
while it was fresh and I hope it wasn't too convoluted,
but if nothing else, I think you, my heart,
you heard it through this message.
So anyway, I love you guys
and I guess I'll see you for our last
Fireside Chat this Thursday, bye.