Singing in the rain....thanks Sheila!

On Sunday, May 3rd, 2009, I had an experience that left me again in awe of God's power and orchestration in our lives. I had the honor of presenting a short Sunday morning church service at the 1st Annual Nelson County Relay for Life at Nelson County High School. It was raining cats and dogs off and on, and as I got up to sing, it poured again...but folks were faithful to continue walking and to stand out in the rain and listen...and Nelson County came together and raised over $104,000.00 for cancer research!

It's amazing how we go out and ask God to use us to be a blessing to others, and we are the ones that end up getting blessed. The previous Saturday evening, I had been able to participate in a fund raiser for Relay and was blessed by the testimonies of those who had fought the battle of cancer and had crawled into the arms of Jesus for their strength. One of those people who has touched my heart and changed my life is a wonderful lady named Sheila Layton.

I have pretty much known Sheila my whole life, and we graduated from high school together. Sheila was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 26, and she is a survivor in so many ways. My life reconnected with Sheila's a couple of years ago when I was asked to sing at a church and when I got there, I found out she was a member. When I looked at her, I saw a glow that only comes from loving Jesus. I had heard about her battle with cancer but I had not heard her give her testimony about it. That changed on Saturday, April 25, 2009 when I watched this wonderful soul stand before the crowd and talk about her struggle, and as she told her story, she continually gave God the glory for His strength in her life and His healing power.

Recently, Sheila posted a note on Facebook called "Reflection" - read what she says about her battle with cancer:

"I never could understand why at a time in my life when it did not matter if I lived or died; already dealing with so much pain and hurt that God would allow this to enter into my life, now looking back 12 years I know. I am a better person BECAUSE of cancer. I look at people differently. I try to have empathy and compassion as I don't know what they are dealing with on day to day basis. I am so thankful that God felt I was worthy enough to endure this nasty word. I have learned to say Thank You God for NOT being finished with me yet. That I am important enough that He wants to continue His work in me. I am not perfect and Lord knows I have many minus's, but the best part is that He loves me enough to want to teach me. He suffered for me, why should I not have to suffer??How can we enjoy the view on top if we have never seen the bottom?? Something to think about......"

I think we can all learn from this amazing lady - that morning at Relay, I was singing in the rain. Through Sheila's struggles, she was singing in the rain...singing the praises of God her Father no matter what was falling down around her. I'm a different person from knowing her. I'm a better person from knowing her. And it's all because she gives the glory to God for all that she is and all that she has.

Thank you, Sheila. It's an honor to be your friend.

FW:fw:re:FW:OH MY!

Did the title get you?

I have been thinking lately about the amount of time (collectively) that I spend emailing, texting, watching television, watching movies, etc. Now, don’t think I’ve gone overboard and now believe that all televisions, cell phones, and the Internet are tools of Satan – I am far from that belief. Even though these things can be used for evil, they also have their purpose for good. The Internet is a way to look up information; email is a way to stay in touch with people we might not normally have that much contact with; cell phones are needed in emergencies. Believe it or not, naysayers, even Facebook can be used in a good way – I can’t tell you how many witnessing opportunities I’ve had on there!

Just yesterday, I changed my cell phone plan to take off the text message feature. I have gotten spam and wrong numbers (which caused my mother to be called some very nasty names in a text that was not meant for her). It was cool when it was new…then I realized how obsessed you can get with it. I forgot what people’s voices sounded like – and more than anything else, I really believe it has affected the way I communicate. It’s hard to talk to people anymore when you get so used to email and texting.

So let me tell you what bothers me about each one of these things (and this comes from being convicted of them myself :)) :

1. We communicated before all of these techniques – it’s called TALKING!

2. I would love to have the money that people (including myself) are spending on all of these things when the majority of people that have them do not need them….we want them and that’s a big difference.

3. CELL PHONES: I love my phone. I love that I can talk with people whenever I want to now, but I do have to remember that it can be dangerous to do this at times.

- Trust me, you are not that important. Hang the thing up when you are driving, and watch the road. This is dangerous for you and those around you.

- If you forget your grocery list, drive home and get it. Please don’t walk around through the grocery store on your phone while your family at home tells you what they want. This does not constitute an emergency. This also may be hazardous to your health if you are in a grocery store filled with people who have the same opinion as me :)

- In the same grocery store (or any other store you might be in), please don’t answer your phone while you are checking out (especially if you are the cashier!).
Unless you are a physician or someone important on call, please leave your phone in your car when you go to Church. Trust me, if God’s gonna speak to you, He’s not gonna call you on your cell.

4. EMAIL: I love my email, too. I love that people think about me and send me things that they think I enjoy. I have tried to cut down on the amount of forwards I send. But it has it’s downfalls as well.

- It can only be National Best Friends Day once a year – I get this email at least weekly. I’m glad I have a lot of friends, but sometimes I miss the personal touch.

- I don’t believe in luck, so I really don’t think that if I fail to forward a forward that has been forwarded (get the theme here? J) I will experience ill happenings in my life.

- Some of the email forwards I get from my Christian friends really make me wonder at times…

- I do not need any of the types of medical assistance that are described in some of the spam I get (I think you know what I mean here).

5. TELEVISION: I have to say that sometimes I love television more than I should. But the content that is on now makes me want to have the cable turned off again.

- I still do not need any of the types of medical assistance that I’m also getting in my email. The commercials are worse than the programs. And then we wonder where the kids are coming up with this stuff.


I know that these things can be time savers – I can send a message to a group of people that it might take me hours to call on the phone; I can subscribe to daily devotionals; I can get personal messages from my friends; I can use it to send out devotions and messages from the ministry but only to those who have asked to be a part of the list. I use email and my cell phone to book dates for the ministry. But I also know that these things can be time wasters – and we get so caught up in them that we are missing the true value of relationships, and we are missing valuable time that we could be spending in Bible study. We are missing time that we could be spending in prayer – and by some of the content we receive by the means mentioned above, the world sure needs the prayers!

I believe God can use all things…and there’s so much more I could say…please don’t be offended by anything…it’s just What’s On My Mind.

God Can Use You!

Ever felt like this picture?? Ever been called "stubborn as a mule"??

I have - alot! And I have wondered often how God continues to use me...but then I remember what my Pastor told me when I first felt called to the music/speaking ministry and I felt inadequate. He told me to remember Moses and how he felt inadequate before God, and how God used him anyway. And then he said, "And always remember Balaam's donkey - and if God can use a talking donkey, He can use you, too!".

If we visit Numbers 22, we find the story of Balaam's donkey. I encourage you to look it up and read it. I spent the weekend in some places that showed me how God can use all of us, and He reminded me that I don't have to be successful or well known in the world's eyes, I just have to be obedient to Him and He will move me out of the way and let His Word be known. Even when I act like a donkey.

On Saturday, I sang at a Relay for Life benefit at the Lovingston Opry House. This benefit was to raise money for cancer research and it warms my heart to know that the small county I live in has already raised $71,000.00 for this worthy cause! My heart was blessed as I sat and listened to the wonderful music from so many talented, God serving hearts! So many moving testimonies of cancer survival - each one giving God the glory for the healing that they received! I was in tears most of the evening just praising God for his wonderful mercy and grace. Each humble person sharing their struggles made their faith even more evident to those listening. I wondered how I could be so stubborn at times, when there are people going through much worse things than I have ever had to endure.

On Sunday evening, I went to the Gaither concert in Charlottesville - as they praised the Lord, each one shared some struggle from their life, or mistakes they have made, that the Lord had brought them through. And I saw each person praise God no matter what had been or was going on in their life at the time - and I saw how God used their struggles and their mistakes not only to teach them, but to also minister to other hearts. I wondered how God could use my mistakes to show others His glory.

God puts people in our lives for many reasons - but most of all to love each other and share each others burdens. I find it amazing that even when I was having struggles, there were strangers (or should I say friends I had never met) on their knees praying for me. Each one of us has a gift that God has given us to use - each one of us has a message that He has given us to say. But most of all, God has put us all here together to work for His kingdom and share the Gospel so that none may perish, but all may have everlasting life in His Son, Jesus Christ.

And it comforts my heart to know that even when I mess up, God meets me at the place of forgiveness and He covers me yet again with His grace and mercy, and He loves me through it.

And I know that God can use even my donkey moments for His Glory.