Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A True Story of Wonder


My husband and I found ourselves being Wonderstruck last Tuesday night. We both got into our cars to drive home from a long day of work. My car started up smoothly and I gratefully turned the heat on low before my car warmed up again. I glanced over to my right to see Jeremy shrug his shoulders as his car only made a slight clicking noise.

This is not the first time that this has happened. We were sure that all that we were going to have to do was crank the car up on a jack and make sure that the starter wires were connected. In the dimly lit parking lot, we dug out the jack and attempted our best to stay dry in the wet mist cloud that sometimes envelops parts of Oregon.

Jeremy checked for the starter wires and everything looked fine. He attempted starting the car several times with each attempt ending in disappointment. We had just talked with the youth group that night about allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and to expect the same signs and wonders that are in the book of Acts. Here was our chance to see God do a miracle on our behalf. We had no money for car repairs and we needed both vehicles for the next day.

Holding hands we began to pray. We thanked God for his goodness. This car was such a great gift from Him. We asked Him to anoint our car and fix whatever was wrong. There were no fancy words, no begging. It was a simple proclamation of God's goodness and with a grateful heart, a simple request.

Jeremy and I looked at each other, hope in both of our eyes. We both believed that God could heal our car if that is what would bring Him the most glory. With lightness to his step, Jeremy walked around to the driver’s side and leaned in to turn the key. Nothing happened. He removed his hand from the key and decided to turn off the radio. All of a sudden, the car started on its own, without Jeremy even touching the key!

In excitement I started dancing around, Jeremy proclaimed what God had just done, and I continued to dance saying, "Thank you Lord! Thank you Jesus!" We drove home that night completely wonderstruck! There was no way the car should have started on its own like that, other than God starting the car for us. He had heard our simple request. He knew our genuine hearts of love for Him. And He answered in a way that revealed He was the only one who could have done it.

God is always there. He desires us to come to Him as we are. In heartaches, and the messy parts of life, He will fill us with wonder when we seek Him.

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Margaret Feinberg, in her new book and 7-session Bible Study called Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God reminds us of such moments, much like the one I just shared.

Wonderstruck will help you realize that God has always been there. You will:

·       Recognize the presence of God in the midst of your routine
·       Unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days (like a car starting on its own!)
·       Develop a renewed passion for God
·       Identify what’s holding you back in prayer
·       Discover joy in knowing you’re wildly loved
 
To learn more, watch the Wonderstruck Video, here: https://vimeo.com/53953257

God will not disappoint you. He is there. 

Pre-order Wonderstruck before Christmas and receive extra gifts worth over $300.



Monday, December 3, 2012

Being Wonderstruck- it is beautiful!



My friend, Margaret Feinberg [www.margaretfeinberg.com], has an awesome new book and 7-session Bible Study called Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God (releasing Christmas Day)a personal invitation for you to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life. Wonderstruck will help you:

·       Recognize the presence of God in the midst of your routine
·       Unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days
·       Develop a renewed passion for God
·       Identify what’s holding you back in prayer
·       Discover joy in knowing you’re wildly loved

To learn more, watch the Wonderstruck Video, here: https://vimeo.com/53953257

Read below to hear about my own reflections of experiencing God’s wonder that comes out of a reflection from reading Wonderstruck

Most recently I have been experiencing the wonder of God during my most painful moments. In these intimate coffee dates with God I lay my heart at His feet. When I do not understand the reason for what is going on, He shows me that He is making beautiful things out of the mess. I have found, much like Margaret did, that when we are more intentional about prayer, we get caught up in the wonder of who God is. It is during these intimate prayer moments that He reveals to me the purpose for my pain; that He is sovereign.

Last night was a very painful night. In fact it was the final blow to losing someone that I love very much. In my disbelief, I ran into the arms of God. It is in His arms that one thing is certain: He knows the truth and He knows me. He knows every single part of my heart and mind. With this realization it calms the stormy sea inside of me and I know that I am safe with Him.

Being caught up in the wonder of God in my wounded mess allows Him to heal me. As He heals me, the wonder of who He is grows even more. For this I can never stop standing up for His truth. For this I can never stop proclaiming His goodness. He loves us so much!

Follow Margaret’s snarky, funny, and inspirational posts on Twitter [www.twitter.com/mafeinberg], Facebook [www.facebook.com/margaretfeinberg], or her blog [www.margaretfeinberg.com]. You can learn more about this great book by visiting www.margaretfeinberg.com/wonderstruck where she’s offering some crazy promos right now with up to $300 of free stuff. I’ve seen the book for as low as $7.57 ($14.99 retail) on Barnes & Noble [http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wonder-struck-margaret-feinberg/1110904808?ean=9781617950889] for all you savvy shoppers. 

Where have you seen the wonder of God in your life?