Full Circle...He does that you know... He has this way of doing things and bringing them back full circle. This blog was birthed out of God moving in my life and leading me to one of the sweetest treats... Read all about it here...
http://www.simplygracejen.blogspot.com/2009/08/nevertheless-gods-solid-foundation.html#links
Mary Banks... is now a friend on facebook and we casually chat. She hasn't become my greatest confidant... But... she is a constant reminder that "God Knows My Name." Each time she posts and I get an update on her page, I can't help but smile. All the more lately.
2011 was a hard year for me, I'm not going to lie. But in that. In my deepest times, when Satan was speaking lies to me... The God of the Universe knew my name. I won't say that I haven't cried tears often, but I will say that he carried me and blessed me. Yes... blessed me.
You see... he cares about my circumstances. And he took the time to show me that in a way I can't even begin to explain. In doing so, he also shared a bit of his heart for the victims of human traffficking.
Many of you know I help lead the Compel Women's Conference (www.compelconference.org) Well after last January's conference we met and laid out our theme for this year. You guessed it... HE KNOWS MY NAME. We had already lined up 2 fantastic speakers to speak on abandonment, human trafficking and most importantly RESTORATION.... At that point, I didn't know that my family would be in need of some of that very restoration in such a major way.
As we walked through 2011, he led us on a journey like none before. To see his had so clearly upon things and using them for his good, even though they seemed devestating was an assurance to me that HE knows each of our names and that is just the begining of what he knows about us....
I have been able to walk alongside a client who was held captive in so many ways.... many of which I would label trafficking. I've walked through tough stuff with Emma, I've been able to attend conferences that speak to the issue of trafficking and make connections. And I begin a season of preparation.
We are just a couple weeks out from the conference now, and I'm reflecting. You see, in 2009 when I met Mary Banks and in 2005-2006 when I first say her article in that magazine and checked her out... Even then, God was preparing me and working through his plan. WHAT IF... I hadn't listened. What if I never checked her out, or e-mailed her in boldness to see how I could pray for her. What if I hadn't been bold enough to speak to her at the conference and see if she remembered me? God would still have moved, but I'd have missed out on so much blessing of know him more. You see, it's not about Mary Banks.... it's about God speaking to me and loving me. He wants that with each of us...
One of the songs on my blog is "I want to be in Eden." It's a reminder to me that God brings things full circle and that we will be in an eternal "Eden" because of what he has done for us. And we read in Revelation that he has a new name for us that only he knows... written on a white stone. That gives us an entirely new way of thinking of "He Knows My Name." Ponder that for a while...
Thank you Jesus. Thank you for how you orchestrate things that we can't even imagine. How if we wait patiently for you, you bring things full circle. God I'm sorry for the plans that you had for me that I missed because I wasn't listening. And Jesus, I can't wait for heaven, for "eden". I can't wait to see the name you have written for me. Use me as a blessing during my earthly time...
