I'm one of those people who was fortunate enough to have grown up out in the country. There are just so many things in that setting that were so much fun!! In the summers when we were done with work a gang of us boys (ages 8-10 or so) would run wild around the little community of Verbena, AL. One of the places we hung out was at a deep pool of water in Chestnut Creek which runs through the town. Hanging from a tree on the waters edge was a cable with a bar (sort of like a red-neck trapeeze). The idea was to hold onto the bar, get a running start from the bank and swing out over the water and just when you reached the highest point of the arch let go and dive or go feet first, or cannon-ball, or belly-flop into the water. I have to admit that it took me several days to get up enough nerve to try it after I first saw Benny Frucci take the plunge. Fear cancelled out any prospect of fun. All kinds of bad things could happen-I might hit a rock; or maybe I would land on top of a cotton-mouth moccasin; I might drown! No matter that people had been swimming in that hole for decades without ever touching a rock, and no snake in his right mind would come into the area with a wild group of rock-slinging boys. Drowning? Highly unlikely with everybody around. I took a few embarrasing runs at it one day but could never let go of the bar. My "friends" pelted me with names like-wait I probobly can't use language like that on the blog-anyway they let me have it. Finally, I let go. The terror of flying through the air was quickly replaced with the thrill of freedom. To this day that was one of the best days of my life.
I see this blog as something like that. Sharing my life with you-my victories, my struggles, my journey with the Lord-is a risky thing in some ways. Yet it has the potential to be freeing and thrilling and life-giving. Punching that post button for me is often like "letting go of the bar". Maybe some of you who read these posts would like to comment but for you letting others get a glimpse of who you really are is frightening. What will people think? Will they still like me? Will they run from me in terror?(Maybe that's overstatement) You know what I mean. I see this blog as a tool through which some can connect in the Body of Christ. Who knows where it will lead? Anyway, I want to encourage you as you take the time to read my story (which I really do appreciate) if you've got something you'd like to say go ahead and "let go of the bar". The impact of your story can be life-changing for others who read it. That's how the Body works.
By the way, is there a swimming hole around here anywhere? Wouldn't that be fun?!!
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Hello George,
ReplyDeleteI am just amazed at God's goodness and FREEDOM is amazing! I have been released from a great deal of bondage of anger and bitterness because of some pain/hurt I experienced years ago while in college. Unfortunately Satan had taken up residence and setup several hotels on that property inside my heart since I wouldn't "go there". I had dealt with so many other issues that needed healing in my life but this one just was so hard. It's been a LONG time of real bondage that God has just taken care of and wiped out. I knew at the beginning of February or so that I needed to get alone with God and get to the bottom of this for the last time. I took some time off from the choir even to focus on my relationship with the Lord and to seek him even deeper to get some things resolved within my own heart. It seemed as though I had worked on it to a certain point several times over the years but then I would find myself back at the same spot. The cool thing is that when I surrendered my ALL to Jesus sitting here in my livingroom one day, God just showed up here and stayed a long time... in such a way that was just so special to me. A few weeks later I knew it was OK to give him this pain/hurt too for the last time... Soon after I began to feel some release and the closer I got to God, the more I allowed myself to trust him fully, the more precious he became to me and the more freedom would come. I just wish I hadn't waited so long but I am so thankful that God was there, still waiting for me to come to him. Just 2 days ago I reconciled with this friend and it is amazing what has happened! I feel like I have been released from prison... like a bag of bricks has suddenly dropped from my back.
Sorry this is so long but now that I have taken the plunge of letting go of the bar I want to share this with you too... THANK YOU for your awesome sermons... for sharing your heart and your testimonies (blog is great) of how God has delivered you. I cannot express how much it means to finally have some of the ice breaking away around us in the area of BEING REAL. I REALLY need this. I need people I can be real with and who can be real with me. I NEED THIS. We have a long way to go I think but oh my goodness it is so exciting to be a part of it. The anger sermon was HUGE. I too burst into tears when I am angry. I wanted to stand up and raise my hand too and say "George, I do that too!" Why do we let things fester for so long? I am so afraid sometimes of what people will think or what they will say or how they might react so I keep it inside, not just anger but fear. Oh to live without fear... wow! Just the thought... I can't imagine life without fear. It definitely is getting better the more I learn to TRUST GOD that he is going to love me and be there for me and take care of me and defend me... but oh the fear is so real some days.
I have been reminded several times since Sunday of what you said about Satan being 1000 times stronger than me YET Jesus has ALL AUTHORITY over Satan! WOW! That is incredible and so empowering to think about really HOW STRONG Jesus is and really how WEAK Satan is... he's just a squeeky mouse compared to the Lion of Judah! RRRRRRR :)
I am so overwhelmed with his goodness and mercy for allowing HIS TRUTH to be in our face and given to us from such a man who KNOWS what this stuff is and the affects of the bondage BUT also the awesome freedom after it's taken care of. I am excited to see what happens next... we just need to keep focused on Jesus and He will lead us and teach us... and the whole thing of BEING REAL is absolutely necessary to our family at FAC. I just pray that more and more people will open themselves up and share so we all can work towards more and more healing together. Praise the Lord for you George and what He is doing among us!
That's what I'm talkin' about!! Thanks so much for sharing your story. There are so many of us who need the same deliverance. I do! What you have written helps me so much.
ReplyDeleteAnybody else?