These words are the first to lines in the song My Tribute. As I sit and reflect on my life a year ago, the words of this song keep running through my mind. It makes me think about how precious it is for someone to care enough about you to be concerned with your spiritual life. To want nothing more than to see you become more spiritually mature in Christ. I have been fortunate enough to have several people who have poured into me spiritually. My parents were very instrumental in this during my childhood years. But on this day there is one person who was the most instrumental in growing me up in the Lord during my young adult to adult years.. That person was none other than the late Pastor A. G. Woodberry. He gave all he had to me and so many others and I will be eternally grateful. I can't help but say 'To God be the glory"!
So many times I have questioned God in my life, wondering why certain things had to happen. I have tried to live a pretty decent life. Yes I messed up along the way a few times but overall I've been okay. I remember as a child how much my parents poured into me the Word of God. Scripture after scripture. Sometimes I was like, "Will it ever be enough?" But it wasn't until I begin to have my own set of tests and trials that the Word became alive. I began to understand what it meant to pray Psalm 91 over myself and my family. How many days the only thing that kept me going was 'dwelling in the secret place of the Most High'. Getting to the point that I recognized my enemy for who he is - Satan - and because of that being sure to put on the whole armor of God everyday. However those things only got me part of the way. It was when I became a member of the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church that I developed a hunger that went from Sunday morning worship to Wednesday night Bible Study to Fall Revival all the way to my living room, my bedroom, in my car, throughout my day. I wanted to know more. So much so that I started teaching.
That is what this life is about. Giving back to others. Encouraging one another. Putting others before ourselves. I thank God for every opportunity I have to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. In fact my daily prayer is "Lord let your light so shine that others may see YOU in me and help me to see the unspoken need that I will be able to minister to those I come in contact with." I wish that everyone would be saved and receive all the wonderful things that God wants them to have. Stop wasting time. Make each day count. And when you give - give your all. That is what Pastor Woodberry did. I cannot remember a time when he did not give his ALL. Even up until the day of his departure. He cared enough about His flock to want us to see that no matter what was going on in your life (sickness to the point of daily pain) that God is still God! He is sitting on the throne. That our praise has nothing to do with our we feel. All of these things are still helping me as I face trials in my life. And I am grateful. That is why I can say "To God be the glory!" This is why I continue to serve the Lord. That is why some days when I think things are so bad in my life and I think about him or hear his voice, I start to praise God through my pain. How many times have you heard that when you focus on God instead of your problem, the problem starts to get smaller? Maybe you have heard it but never tried it. Today I dare you to try it! I'm not telling you what I heard but what I know. Even as I type these words with somewhat of a heavy heart, I start praising God, humming 'I still have joy', knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that EVERYTHING is going to be alright.
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
Right now I don't know how to put into words what I'm feeling so I just want to say Thank You. Thank you for thinking enough of me to place people in my path that encouraged me to grow spiritually. Help me to be the kind of person that gives back to others what You have so graciously deposited in me. In Jesus' Precious Name Amen.
Right now I don't know how to put into words what I'm feeling so I just want to say Thank You. Thank you for thinking enough of me to place people in my path that encouraged me to grow spiritually. Help me to be the kind of person that gives back to others what You have so graciously deposited in me. In Jesus' Precious Name Amen.
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