To Read on the Journey

Friday, March 13, 2009

birth story


i was scheduled nearly a year ago to speak for a MOPS group this week.
i'm not a public speaker. i think people can be confused by the fact that i love to sing and lead worship. i think they get confused because i am a public talker, uh huh, i tend to have lots of thoughts and opinions. just because i sing publicly and talk publicly doesn't mean speaking publicly comes naturally for me. it doesn't.

i figured with almost a year to prepare i'd have something inspiring and God-moving to say to these mommies. but as the week drew near i had nothing. at least i thought i had nothing.

the same friend who asked me a year ago to speak, encouraged me to share my testimony. i didn't want to. i wondered if my story of how i came to Christ was becoming a tired, worn out, over-told, old story.
there use to be a time i couldn't keep from sharing how God had rescued me, become the Father i longed for, and how i was now living in the embrace of His deep love.
but at some point i decided people were tired of hearing me.
in the past few years i have grown more and more reluctant to speak.
because of that i have held back on sharing my birth story.

my friend said to me that our stories, when we came into a relationship with Christ, are our birth stories. she commented on how we mommies love to get together and recount all the details of the birth's of our children. she said that God loves to tell the story of how we were born, again and again, but the only way He can do this is through us. isn't that a sweet thought.

so i shared, hoping the story of my birth would be used again for God's glory.

and it was.

join me in praying for a mommy who so needs the tenderness of God's fatherly love to penetrate her heart, and speak truth to her many questions.

He is a very good God.

What is your birth story?
i'd love to hear it!

6 comments:

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

This is my first visit to your blog, I soooo love your blog header. And I am a lipstick girl too. So glad I ran across it in my blog reading.

I am new to the blog world and have so much to learn.

When you have some time, stop by for a visit!

Teresa

Family Jules said...

here's my story:

God meets girl
God loves girl
God reaches out and saves girl just at the right time
Girl loves God
Girl holds onto God because there is nothing in this world that will ever take His place
The story continues....

Denise said...

love it julie! :-)

Simply Sara said...

I have been thinking the same thing about my testimony, that maybe it has become old or something.... oh how I love the idea that it is a 'birth story' and giggle at the thought of God wanting to share it it the same way that we women LOVE sharing the stories of our children's birth :)

My birth story is quite long, too long for the comment section :)
I think maybe I'll write a post about it soon.
Thanks for the new perspective and as always- encouragement!

Oh, and your birth story is absolutely beautiful!

Sandy said...

I cried when I read your birth story...beautiful...God is faithful and good ALL THE TIME. And you are a precious daughter of the KIng.

I have followed your blog for a while, having found it from your comments on my daughter Linda's blog. You are a sweet, Christ-like woman.

I have to tell you...I loved seeing the Christmas cards still on your door. I have a pile of them on the table, but that's not the end of it...some of them are from the year before!!! I never did get the pictures put up on the 'fridge that year!

May God bless you and your family always.

Kristen said...

yeah! i am glad you shared your "birth story". i know that you touched the lives of those women. even though i have only met your through skype - you have touched my life and my heart. you are real, vulnerable and people can relate to you. i see many of the same struggles in myself and it has always made me feel "normal" to see i am not the only one. it is one the things i love and appreciate about you.

neighbor - i will share my story with you this summer as we sit on the beach in bass lake and watch our kids play :o)