Several months ago, I sat across from her at Panera bread, and in the mushy middle of our heart-to-heart chatter and laughter, she slips in, “You know you’re going to speak, right?”
Along with my normal heart palpitations at the thought, I laughed and told her, “You know, so-and-so just said the same thing to me this week.”
My encourager friend, who is also a pastor’s wife, insists, “No, really. You are going to speak in May for my ladies tea.”
With the shock of realizing what she was asking in her ever-so clever way, I remembered a prayer and promise to God I made. In pouring out from a heart of gratitude I offered myself, “If I ever have the opportunity to speak to Your precious daughters, I would tell them about Your grace, and how much they are loved by You.”
Well, Saturday, May 5, 2012, I did. My friend says it perfectly, “What my head said ‘no’ to, my heart said ‘yes’ to.”
I stood trembling before ten elegantly adorned tables, with almost eighty beautiful daughters of the King of Kings sitting at them. I held a microphone in my hands, and shuffled it back-and-forth between each. With a shaky voice, and clinging ever so tightly to my notes that anchored me, I began to speak.
So now I share here, still trembling, the audio of the first 20 minutes of my talk, in two parts:
(If you cannot listen to this through email or in a reader, visit A Life Surrendered.
I began with this prayer:
Father God, before You, we come, in the name of Jesus, only able offer You what we have here, what we are now — we come to You, and withhold nothing.
I pray for each person here, no matter where they are in their journey of life, that You would speak to each one through the words spoken here. Let them hear what You would have them hear, what You desire to speak to each of their hearts — let it be heard clearly, without anything getting lost in translation. Let the truth liberate shackled souls today. Release captive hearts, free minds. I pray against the enemy of our souls, as our hearts are humbly submitted to You. I pray that any hold the devil has on anyone of us would be loosed, and any evil force unseen that would try and hinder Your work here in this place or in anyone of our hearts, would be bound.
Have Your way in us today, Lord. Pour Your grace — grace like RAIN, let us walk with You into the destiny You have planned for us. In Jesus name.
Wondrous Grace Part 1-A
Wondrous Grace Part 1-B
I give thanks to God…
363. for an opportunity to tell others what I know about grace.
364. for the wise woman who builds the house after the foolish try to tear it down.
365. for daughters who never really had to show me support before, and yet, on this occasion when I needed it, they rose to their feet with cheering voices.
366. for a husband who is willing to remove obstacles that are in my way, and make the way clear before me so I may have the best opportunity for success.
367. for godly women who are servant-leaders for the body of Christ, and do not mind mingling with and getting smelly like sheep.
368. for a table that looked just right and lots of help to make it so.
369. for books offered and books sold.
370. for the most perfect gift given from the grace-filled heart of the pastor’s wife that gave me this amazing opportunity.
371. and for the same beautiful woman, who I now call friend.
372. for the Holy Spirit that leads me into all the truth.
373. for husband providing me enough time to write out the words of truth.
374. for the hearts of beautiful daughters of God being deeply touched by the words spoken and then saying so.
375. for encouragement that truly strengthens.
376. for loving faithful friends that came from near and far to come hear “me” speak.
I still am in awe you came, and I am grateful for you all.
377. for praying family and friends from all over the country and the world.
378. for warring friends that are not afraid to stand against the enemy of my soul.
379. for truth words spoken to me when my insecurities amplify the enemies lies.
380. for those truth words that set me free.
381. for love that wraps its arms around me tight, until I know I am loved fierce.
382. for those same arms feeling like Christ’s arms around me, holding me through healing in deeper, darker places I did not know had not been made whole.
383. for at the end of a challenging week, and an amazingly beautiful Ladies Tea, family and I leave for vacation to the beach and are staying for the week.
