I couldn't come up with a better title to describe this Sunday morning at church. Its so difficult for me to imagine that there was once a time that my family and I were not apart of Epic church. Our whole family is there. My youth leaders are the most amazing people I know, and best of all, nobody trys to be perfect or to hide what has happened in their pasts. At alot of churches we have visited and tried to find our home in everyone is so up tight and staunch and prentenders that they never do anything wrong or unGodly, and look down their noses if you dress a certain was or express yourself.
This morning at Epic the praise music that started off our service was Amazing. Travis sand 'With Everything,' one of my favorites. I got goosebumps when the 'Woahs' came around and you could hear everyone in the room singing together. I.V.'s message was the last in our WASTED series and he spoke on Sin, and how nowadays everyone dumbs down the meaning of it to be called a mistake. And that if you call it that, then you are less likely to own up to your wrong doings and will probably just continue in your ways. Hesaid that there will come a point in everyones lives that you have to realize that you are a sinner, and theres really nothing you can do about it.
Then he had a card board sign that read 'Molested as a child, anger, rage...' He said that maybe he had a right to be mad and angry at the time in his life when that happened, but his outward actions and aggression and hatred towards others after that were all on him. But then he said that one day God spoke to him on his way to work, and thats when he realized he was a sinner. He flipped the sign over and it said something like 'Pastor full of love' and that is what he is today. If his story wasn't enough, he said that then there were people going to come out and share their stories with us too. The band started playing How He Loves (another favorite and tear inducer) Here are what some said. The before and after its flipped:
Given 6 months to live (but)........ 7 years later still standing
Drug addict.......................Committed. Saved. Free
Hated church. Left God........... He never left us
One non believer and one christ follower..... now married and believing
Torn by divorce...... United by God. (This one is my friend Briley from Revolution. Both her diverced parents and their spouses came and stood beside her and hugged her. At this poitn I'm bawling)
8 year old son diagnesed with cancer. No hope.............now happy and Cancer free!
Lost. Scared Foster child.......... adopted by the Thomases 2009 (Also crying)
Stroke 9 months ago....... healed instantly!
I and my son were attacked by armed men............ Safe in His arms
HAD to have a boyfriend, insecure............ God's princess
Full of religion................ then I met God
- Then I.V. and his wife Bene' walked to the center, her holding her sign that said
Hopeless Abortion, scared.............. (I con't rememner exactly what the other side said probably because I was too busy trying to control myself, but it was something wonderful)
Then afterward he kissed her head.
Needlesss to say I was in two full services and half of another one and I cried all three times. Men and women alike all left with tears in their eyes.
God is AMAZING :)
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