Monday, 14 August 2006

• Yesterday was historical.

  For the first time in I don't know how many years, my complete immediate family went out to lunch together. If you know me or anything of my past, then you can understand how big of a deal this is. Even when I was younger and we all still lived together, we never ate together as a family. It was so surreal. We actually met under poor circumstances but regardless, it was such a blessed moment for me. As I sat there I kept thinking in my head, "be a source of unity to the family." haha I know: CORNY! But I rarely get the opportunity to be that to my family ALL AT ONCE so I was completely savoring the time.
  
  But it doesn't end there. My parents aren't in CFC, and I stopped praying for them to be a long time ago. Instead, my prayer was just for them to start going to church and develop personal relationships with God. And I can't even count how many times someone in the ministry has told me, "Don't worry. Just keep praying, your parents will join CFC someday." I had become so desensitized to that statement. I think I almost resented it. ALMOST. haha Anyway, it's always been my greatest prayer for my family members to acknowledge God's love and presence in their lives but I think even though I was praying, I had come to just accept the way things were and I wasn't anticipating a change.
  
  After I blessed the food at lunch my Dad asks the rest of my family, "Do you go to church?" And they all respond with something along the lines of, "No." And then my Dad says, "Why not?! You should go."
  
  And I'm sitting there in awe of what's coming out of my Dad's mouth because he was the last person in my family that I thought would be saying ANYTHING of the sort.
  
  Then he goes on about how, "Church is good for you and you even meet a lot of good people there."
  
  As I'm sitting at the table I'm fighting back tears of joy SO BAD. But I'm repeatedly saying, "Really God?! Really?!" in my head.
  
  And then he says "I go every week." And I asked, "With who?" And he says, "By myself most of the time or sometimes with friends."
  
  Oh my goodness! It took every single ounce of energy I had to not let my tears start pouring then and there. Instead I said to the rest of my family, "Dad's cooler than all of you!" haha
  
  But the second I got in my car alone I cried so good! And I couldn't stop feeling unbelievably grateful. And to top it off, hours later I get a call from my Dad. And he just called to tell me that I have to keep telling the rest of my family to go to church. And after that phone call I started crying all over again!
  
  And I think I'm about to start crying again right now as I type this. haha If you know anything of my family's "story" then this entry will have a lot more meaning to you but if you don't, just know that it's been a long and trying journey. Ever since I was 13, if anyone had asked me the "If you could have anything in the world what would it be?" question, the answer in my head was always. "I would want for my family to feel God's love the way I do." And it's been my prayer ever since. As a teenager I was desperate for it, and I prayed for it like there was no tomorrow. But as I got older the desperation faded and the prayers weren't as frequent, but they continued. I was 13 when God placed the desire in me and I'm about to turn 23 in a few days. It's been 10 years of prayer well worth it. Slowly but surely, God's having his way with the people I love most.
  
  I know this entry is long but it's a victory that I HAD to share. Especially to everyone that has said any kind of prayer for my family, thank you! You have no clue how much I appreciate it.
  
  See, I told you I'm different for good and because of it, God's blessings are continually pouring down on me. I adore my life.
  
  

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