Overcome

"By the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony everyone overcome"
I love that Jesus said, "In this life you will have trouble (trials, tribulation) but be of good cheer (take heart) I have overcome the world!"

We all have a testimony, if we have been through any trial in this life then we have a testimony of either being an overcomer or of being overcome. I know for me personally I had to face the hardest day of my life just a few short years ago and I found myself at a fork in the road and had to make the decision to overcome or be overcome. I praise God I took the high road and purposed in my heart to be unbreakable, unshakeable. Oh it came with a high price, I lost everything in my life that I had worked years and years for, through blood and tears, through joy and pain. The life I once knew came to a screeching halt in a moments time.

I look back now and I see how God was directing my every step and preparing me for such a time as this. Over the last 2 weeks leading the song "Overcome" has caused my heart to be on a roller coaster looking down the path of so much hurt and pain and trying to remember what the days were like before satan came for my family before he came for my church in Tx. I have had to look into the mirror and face once again the pain of great loss in my life. I was reminded today of the names and the faces of my band in Tx and as I I saw each of them I wrote their names on a piece of paper asking God to do amazing things in and through each of their lives. I was reminded today of a great friend, an adventurous friend, who I was on the ultimate journey with - I wrote her name and her husbands name on a piece of paper and asked God to be with them and have favor all over their lives. I was reminded of a group of ladies I once prayed with every Wednesday for years and years and asked God to be with each of them and their families.

Oh but the journey doesn't end there. I was reminded today of my precious family who I love with a love like I never thought I could and how proud I am as a mom and a wife that we are Overcomers. I was also reminded today that I have the most amazing band that a worship pastor could imagine having and I too wrote their names down and asked God to remind me daily of how blessed I am and to open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on each them like they have never known. Had I not gone down the incredible path of satans wrath I would not have such a time as this. I would not have stood on Cobblestones main stage today leading my precious church towards Jerusalem, nor would I have had the privilege to perform just yesterday the marriage of my precious friends JC and Julie Rae (our lead guitarist and lead vocalist) and I would not know the love of my church family, nor would I be on this new journey allowing God to revive friendship in me once again.

If the years of tribulations, if the years of pain, if the years of incredible joy and laughter, and the lessons learned are meant to prepare us for the next leg of the journey then I can say with a smile on my face thank you God that you lay in front of us the path that we must walk to get us where we are going. I know I am on a great assignment given to me by my King, by my Savior, and I know had I not taken the path I did when I was at that fork in the road my life would be so different and I would have missed out on the greatest journey of this life.

I love my life here in Oxford, I love the cold and yes this Texan loves the snow. I love the hills and the valleys and all the seasons of life here in this place - but most of all I love you Cobblestone Church.

Let's be overcomers - let's all have a testimony of grace to share - let's all do as Hoss asked of us today, to be in community with one another - let's be that "team" that we were challenged to be - let's be that "piece of the puzzle" that makes up this amazing group we call cobbleheads, and let's journey towards Jerusalem hand in hand, living out loud "We are Overcomers" by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony everyone overcome!

And just in case anyone from the life I once knew before is reading this blog - I do love you and want to encourage you and lift you up and I want you to know I pray for you everyday - and I urge you, run the race God has set before you, run towards Jerusalem, remember the good days, the amazing days and I pray you have overcome!

Thank you God for showing me how to overcome....it is only by Your grace!

"THIS IS MY STORY THIS IS MY SONG PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG"