Have you ever had a time in your life when you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was working in your life in such a special,
only for you way? Well, a couple weeks ago God did that for me and I'd like to share with you what happened.
I was home alone for the weekend. My hubby had the twins with him on a youth hunt so I was driving to church by myself. I was DEEP in thought throwing questions around to God. I was asking Him this deep question I had been pondering. "What would happen in my life, God if I TRULY believed what you said about me?" "Would my life be drastically different?" Then I'm digging deeper, "God, how do I marry reality, which is really who I am with living the way you say I am?" At the exact time I'm wrestling with all this I hear a song on the radio I've never heard before. It grabs my attention because it's talking about everything I'm wresting with. The chorus of the song was I am redeemed and I don't have to live in a prison because I'm already free. Within seconds of realizing the song on the radio I come up over a hill and see these HUGE storm clouds with a beautiful double ended rainbow. I was sooooo moved I quickly pulled off the road to snap a picture on my phone. (Please forgive me if you were the car behind me because I was caught up in the beauty of the moment.)
I really wanted to know what that song was and the station didn't say. I even tried looking it up on the radio station with no luck. I asked God to please bring that song to me again and I went about my day.
Fast forward two weeks. It's a Wednesday morning and I'm having my quiet time and the topic is Hearing God's Voice. I'm really trying to be obedient when I hear Him and not try and talk myself out of it. While I'm reading about something unrelated I felt like God asked me to look up the song Redeemed (my song from above) so I do and sure enough I find it in iTunes. I buy the song and go about my work. On Wednesday's I don't usually work but that day I was really considering it since I wouldn't be able to go in on Thursday my regularly scheduled day, but I really felt God tell me NO don't go. Now, I argued a little bit because money is tight and I didn't want to give the money up, but I obeyed and didn't go. I was doing some work on the computer and felt like God said, Barb, look up the words to that song. So I did and I spent a considerable amount of time in tears and thanking God for doing the words of that song in my life. After I was done, I went to Facebook and I'm not lying but this is the very first thing in my feed:
Now that might not mean anything to you but it sure did for me especially after you read the words to the song and the fact that about a year ago God showed me a picture of myself, sitting in a prison cell all huddled in the corner. I was dirty and ragged but he showed me that the shackles were off my feet and I could get up and walk out and I did, but I've found myself back in that prison on various times because it's familiar to me. But, like I shared in my
Dare to Dream post God's calling me to a whole new level and I seem to be on the way.
Now it doesn't stop there! That very day I had a meeting at my church. I was organizing a conference called the Grace Course put on by Freedom in Christ Ministries. On the way to the church guess what song I heard on the radio? Yep, my song! Now, you have to realize I hadn't heard it since my rainbow day and I hear it for the first time since realizing what the song even was. OK, back to my story. I get to church and we are going to be working on the booklet for the conference and we need to get with the music minister to get the theme song he would be singing to put in the booklet. We find him and he goes on to tell us that he's found this really cool new song and he's so excited to share it with us. YEP! you guessed it my song! Oh and I heard the song on the way home from church and then later that night I heard it. I was with my husband that night when it came on and it allowed me to share with him all that had happened that day. I don't know about you but I felt so cherished and valued by God, that he listened and answered that honest conversation I had with Him. That He cared about me in such a detailed special way. That to me is God Kisses.
Here are the words to the song. They are just so powerful to me. I hope they minister to you as well.
Redeemed"
Big Daddy Weave
Seems
like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed
All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember, oh God, You're not done with me yet
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me
'Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, 'cause I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be
Oh, God, I'm not who I used to be
Jesus, I'm not who I used to be
'Cause I am redeemed
Thank God, redeemed
Oh, and just think what I would've missed that morning if I would've gone to work after He told me not to. I would've missed that huge special God kiss! What about you how does God kiss you? Keep your eyes open because He wants to give you some kisses!
Thanks for letting me share my heart!
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