Inspired

Today just might be a really important day in my life.

It started off with Patrice serving me French Toast and blueberries which was pretty spectacular.  Oh how I LOVE THAT GIRL!!

We went to church and it was the loveliest thing to be surrounded by God's people while we worshipped and listened for His guidance and leading.  So many people I love gathering to seek Jesus on this September morning.
Felt celebratory and full of joy and anticipation...
Graham taught out of Philippians 2 and it was amazing.
If Christ Jesus considered Himself a slave 
it is most fitting that we should do the same.
Oh Man.
It's a high calling.
To be His slave and to serve others.
Lots to wrap your head around and even more to submit to.
But it's the best way to live once you get the hang of it I hear...

And then I went out for lunch with two dear ladies.
There were years of catching up as one of them has only come back to Kelowna in the last year and we haven't really connected yet.

So, in the midst of the sharing
(mostly mine, I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit)
Anita commented that I should write a book.

Now I've heard this several times over the years and have even attempted to start writing more to make this into a reality, but there was never enough fire on it to keep it moving. Plus I have years of journals full of my "story" and now several years worth of this blog.  So I felt that when and if the "book" was going to be written it would just happen.  Haha.  Kinda like if I got healed there would be the lovely last chapter that would make the whole book worth writing!

And I didn't really have a strong call or vision at that point.

But the way this "invitation" was worded today struck me as the clearest reason to date that I could possibly want to start on this venture.

It wouldn't just be "my story" which would end up being a very short novella due to my lack of memory for details and such.
It would be the fleshing out of what I shared at church at the beginning of August when I was asked to speak on "living with Joy".

That time of sharing ended up being me telling much of my personal journey through the past 26 years of being wheelchair-bound and how my walk with God has carried me through the highs and lows of that.

I also spoke about my wrestle with the "healing issue" and how I have come to such a place of peace (for the most part) in seeking Jesus instead of healing.  And how I have met Him in the place of suffering and have slowly learned to embrace the cross and let the blood of Jesus drip over and onto me as I trust Him.

So I began to imagine that this might be a possibility.

Right there in that restaurant with that earnest face looking across the table at me - inviting me to share my story with others who suffer and are not healed.
Perhaps not "New York Times Bestseller" material, but for some people it could bring hope and perspective and help when they've felt let down by God in a church culture that seems to want to pray suffering away and offer a package deal of God and healing being one and the same.  ASAP

And I know He is Healer.
But when the healing comes slowly,
So slowly that it sometimes manifests in heaven... people can grow discouraged.
Or feel the need to press in even harder for more healing because they feel they have missed something.
When I start to go down that road I lose sight of the lovely face of Jesus.
And I feel like I'm doing something wrong.
I get discouraged and feel condemned.

So when I said "there are already so many books" she reminded me that my story is my story and might be important for others to hear.
I realized that there was merit in recognizing that my story had value and I will begin to ask the Lord about when and if to start writing.

This dear Anita even volunteered to meet with me on a monthly basis to get things rolling and to help me sort through my thoughts.

So, stay tuned.
This might be a door I need to move through...