A Decade of Change

The day after Thanksgiving, we went to my Father n Law's house for dinner. Before we ate, we all gathered in the kitchen, held hands and one by one, we each said something we were thankful for this year. What am I most thankful for this year? Well, as I stood there, I looked around at this small portion of our rather large family, I thought: CHANGE. Wow, change! It's not something that we typically embrace with a happy heart. However, change is good for us! If you will allow me, I'd like to share a story of change that occured within my family. About 10 years ago, my Father n Law, married a wonderful lady named Rita. He started to go to church with her and he accepted Christ and was baptised. He and Rita started praying for their children and grandchildren. Kim, my sister n law, started taking her children to church in January of 1999. In February, the next month, Kim's daughter, Tara Lynn, accepted Christ and wanted to be baptised. I believe she would have been 9 or 10 at the time. So, then, I went to church with Kim, to see Tara be baptised. The following week, I accepted Christ. Kim had already accepted Christ and was being baptised in March. I was supposed to have been baptised on the same day, but my husband worked at the airport and could not be there, and I really wanted him to be there. So, we scheduled my baptism for the following month. I hated waiting, but I really wanted him there! Well, in the next month, he too, accepted Christ and so we scheduled his baptism for the same day as mine, and we were baptised, arms locked together, husband and wife, as one. I will never forget that day. We were changed the moment we accepted Christ, we were changed the day we were baptised, and we continue to change this very day. Some of it has not been an easy road, down right hard for that matter! But as I stood and listened to each of us give our thanks, I realized that in ten years, God has done a lot of changing for this one family. Jimmy and Rita, took their family, layed them at Jesus' feet, and prayed for them. Prayer changes lives. Jimmy and Rita were coming over from Birmingham every month from that point forward, because someone in their family was being baptised! Their children and their grandchildren! God continued to work through us and our prayers to reach many others in our family that year. My parents, my sisters, our friends, my Mother n Law, my family who lives in Houston! 800 miles away, and God is changing them as well! God is about change. He doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But he is continually changing us to become the creation that He meant us for. He changes our hearts and our relationships! I am so thankful that He changed my life and continues to do so. Ten years ago, I would not have known that these things were possible in our family. This next year, 09, will mark the ten year anniversary for many of us in our family, a decade of change! I cannot wait to see what change God will bring for the next decade! So, as we experience change, even when it is hard, even when we're not sure how it is going to all work out, let's have a humble spirit and embrace it! Remember, that God knows! He is changing our hearts and our relationships! Remember to Pray! Pray! and Pray some more! Our God can move mountains, and he has given us the power to move mountains as well! Our prayers are heard and they do make a difference!