Friday Freelance: FAVOR

I am truly grateful to God for miraculously abundant material blessings. But even more, I am thankful for God's favor this year amid difficulties.

I made a professional connection hoping to gain a business relationship. The business relationship has yet to materialize, but I've gained a supportive friendship money can't buy.

Praise is too important to express only privately, and our family sought a church where the Lord is praised corporately. He led us to a church with a full orchestra, choir, and an exuberant music director, and I found contentment. The surprise God had waiting was a dance team and drama team I didn't know about, where I can "Praise the Lord!" with my own full exuberance.

I immersed myself in the Scriptures to understand how a critical spirit among Christians breeds spiritual barrenness. I discovered that God is the author of human romance, and thereby makes manifest His romance with us, that we might be "fruitful and multiply" spiritually.

In that discovery lay a novel I'd have never thought to write. I set out on a path I thought might lead to publication, to reach many with a single message of love's power. It instead led to writing a daily blog filled with many messages of God's love and power.

I forfeited a position coordinating National Day of Prayer with community leaders to take up a role ministering to women in jail. Yesterday, the faces covered with tears after a Thanksgiving service there filled my soul more than a turkey dinner would have filled my belly.

In every situation, I fully released to the Lord of my life how to fulfill my desires. He gave me far more than I might have thought to ask.

"I am not worthy of th eleast of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant." ~ Israel

This week many of us bloggers have devoted a special post in which we are sharing our personal testimonies of the Lord's work in our lives and/or that of our families. Our collective prayer is that this sharing of our testimonies will not only encourage each other and give glory to our Lord, but also show the love of Christ to those who happen upon our blogs. To enjoy many more testimonies like the one you've just read please visit us at Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy