day 124, Monday

Jonah looked at me this afternoon and said, "I wish we had church tonight."  Makes my heart all happy.

Fact about me: I cry often.  I hate goodbye's.  I spent the majority of time at church last night crying.  We've had such an amazing time at Revival at our church, I was so sad that last night was the last night.

Do you ever think of Heaven?  I do.  I think of how sweet it's going to be.  Just imagine, all the people in your life that you loved so dearly, whether it be friends that moved away {Tim and Jenny Land, the kids pastors at First Assembly when Jonah and Noah were about two}, a missionary you spent time with on a missions trip {Mike and Sheila Fitzgerald in Iceland for me}, or just people you might not ever see again on this side of Heaven {the Life Action team that left our church today}.

Think of how sweet that reunion will be someday.  I can hardly imagine.  I can hardly wait!

I love my life, don't get me wrong, but I do seriously get excited about Heaven.  I was reading about it today in Revelation chapter four.  I cannot wait to witness the creatures that are worshiping the Lord, the ones who NEVER stop saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come."  {Revelation 4:8}

Do you know that there will be no light in Heaven?  None is needed.  {"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."  Revelation 21:23}

There will be a sea of glass, and streets of gold.  

Doesn't that sound...well, Heavenly?  

It does to me.  I can't even imagine, hardly.  I also can't wait to hear the worship taking place...all the different voices singing, all the different types of music, and to hear how perfectly it all blends together in the most amazing harmonies.  

I was reading in my devotion today {the one my mom-in-love gave me} about worship...the author wrote that if we don't enjoy worship here on earth, then we can't imagine what it will be like in Heaven...or we don't look forward to it.

I do, though!  This devotional that I'm doing is called Will You Worship, and it's written by Ray Jones.  I've been convicted {and challenged} of paying closer attention to the words I'm singing while in church services.  To sing them back to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  This author suggested that we might even be ministering to God!

Little old us...ministering to the King of Kings!  But it makes sense.  Don't you think He loves to hear us sing to Him?  To fully worship Him?  

I do.  

I'm so thankful for this book that I'm going through.  {Thank you, Phyllis!}  And I'm thankful for all these nights recently we've spent in church.  For Revival.  God is up to something big...and I think we might have gotten a little glimpse of it over the past couple of weeks.  Hearts of many people have been stirred here in The Ville.  And what started at Revival, well, I pray that God keeps it going.  I pray we don't ever become complacent.  I pray that I will forever hunger and thirst for the Lord God Almighty.  I pray He makes me crave His word every moment of every single day of my life.  I pray He continues to give me the strength to memorize it, because the more I memorize, the more He recalls it to my memory when I act in a way that isn't what He desires, like if I'm being disrespectful to my husband, or if I'm tearing down with my words.

I am so thankful for these things I've written about tonight.  I need to apologize for the doom and gloom style of posts I've taken to writing lately.  I promise to do better at encouraging and no more venting.  I might be tempted...but I pray God reminds me of these words.  

Let's encourage one another...build one another up {Ephesians 4:29}!  I promise to do my best.  Will you join me?

Also...can I challenge you?  Read God's word.  It's the single most important book you will ever read.  Ruth is good.  Esther is good.  Daniel is amazing.  Or start in the New Testament, like in the book of John.  Or James...whew, I love that book.  Rules for living.  Colossians is good.  Philippians.  There are so many that are so amazing!

  If you have a smart phone, get the YouVersion app, and browse through their Bible reading plans.  I started a new one today, one that goes along with the new series on The History Channel, The Bible.  

Or you could read something that will lead up to Easter.  I plan on reading through a plan the week before Easter.  It's a seven day plan.  

There are yearly plans, 52-day plans, one week plans...you name it, they've got it.  

Pick up the Bible and start reading it.  I dare you to just try it, and see how your life will change.  See how God blesses you.  

I dare you.  

Love to all.