Mountain Springs B&B, Palmer, Alaska, February 20, 2004

On this day, in this place, Christ became flesh to me.

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I really enjoy hearing other people’s stories. So much so, I don't often relate my own. As you can imagine, I've really appreciated these past weeks in getting to learn the stories of my fellow Devo authors. Their varied upbringings, experiences, blessings, outlooks, et al, are fascinating to me. It is indeed a window into the work of a living and active God. I hope you've enjoyed this, too, but you should know, I didn't always see this.

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My Mom introduced me to Jesus at a very early age. We went to church regularly. I attended Sunday School, was confirmed in Middle School, and active in a youth group during High School, but these were all just events to me. God was someone you worshiped an hour a week on Sunday. Having never established a personal relationship, I promptly stepped away from Him in college. Even after I married a Christian woman, I didn't put much effort into seeking Him. When my kids were born, church was again a priority, but I was ill-equipped to be the spiritual leader God called me to be (Eph. 6:4). While always a believer, I never fully understood what I was believing until I was in my 40's.

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I'd previously attended several churches when a family friend invited my family to hers. We went, and the first person I met after walking in the door made a statement that I thought so profound, I'll remember it forever: “The Holy Spirit is really at work here.” This was from a man about my age whom I'd just met. This statement opened my eyes, and I started to realize that God wasn't someone you worshiped just an hour a week. There's more, so much more. Over the next few years my eyes were opened more and more. I started to serve in various capacities, culminating in service on the Leadership Team. My relationship with God grew as God patiently prepared me for the encounter with Him on February 20, 2004.

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I was at a Leadership Team retreat, and we were worshiping together. It wasn't long before I felt I should kneel in reverence, for God had something to show me. To describe this incredible experience would fill pages, so suffice it to say that I met Jesus in the flesh that night. The immensity of His love and His sacrifice was made so real to me, all I could do was tremble and sob. He showed me a slice of Heaven with Jesus being the center, surrounded with people like you and me. The love of Jesus was like an electric circuit. Like a lamp, we all plugged into His energizing love through which we knew each other intimately, reveling in each other’s presence. There was so much light! There's more, but what I want to emphasize is how important YOU are to HIM. Heaven doesn't exist without Him or you. To prepare the way for you, Jesus right now is actively moving, calling, answering, correcting, guiding, protecting, advocating, and much more. Besides spiritually changing me forever, through that incredible experience I became fascinated with the stories of people like you.

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Fast forward to today...

I've been attending ACF Church for about two years and serve on the Devo Team and the Prayer Team. Both are blessings to me. The Prayer Team gives me the opportunity to share in your story. Through you, I witness how Jesus is actively preparing the way to Heaven for us. When you come for prayer, you are an incredible blessing to me. Through you, I see your love for Jesus, your obedience in answering a calling with an action, your seeking the source of all truth, and your heart placing your trust in Him. By serving on the Prayer Team, He blesses me through you. For that I am incredibly thankful.

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Blessings to you, my friends, my brothers and sisters. May the peace of our Lord comfort and encourage you every moment of every day. I'll see you in Heaven. Until then, ask someone to share their story with you.

Lord, thank you for being so good. You pour out your blessings unceasingly in your love, mercy, and grace. You, Lord, are alive and active. Through our stories we witness your work preparing us for an eternal relationship with You. What a blessing that is. Thank you. Amen.