Absolute Time of Refreshing for Me

This weekend has been absolutely WONDERFUL, and exactly what I needed! I actually feel like I've been on a retreat.

With such a busy week behind me, I felt like it would be like most weekends, where I scramble to catch up on all the things I haven't been able to get done during the week here at home, and then before I know it, it's Monday morning, the alarm's going off at 5 am, and it's back to the office. But it wasn't like that at all.

The days seemed to be longer than most...With time to sleep in, lay around if I felt like it, spend quality time with the Lord and in His word, spend quality time with my husband and children - giving them plenty of attention and affection, blog (something I only seem to do when I have enough time that it doesn't make me feel like I'm taking away from something more important), and even read through most of a brand new book I found. I found myself thinking today, "I feel this smile on my face - it feels good!" (Not that I don't smile, just that I don't usually notice it like that!)

My husband is a pastor so we thought long and hard about whether we should cancel church or not on Sunday. We wanted to be sure our people were safe, but, at the same time, be able to open up the doors for corporate worship. Several called from the church Saturday night, asking what we planned to do, but we couldn't give an answer. Sunday morning the roads were clear, and we rejoiced to be in the house of the Lord! We were glad we did not act too quickly (especially when visitors showed up!!). It was a wonderful time of worship, and God's message to us was very powerful. In fact, many people talked of conviction and just how powerful the sermon was. God was faithful to show up and touch our hearts!

I don't want to give credit to anything but God in regards to this weekend. He has done a work in my heart, as I've asked Him what He desired for my life this year and truly began to seek Him with all my heart, more so than ever before. I also don't think it's by chance that just last night I picked up this book off our desk, The Slumber of Christianity; Awakening a Passion for Heaven on Earth. A very precious man gave this to my husband as a graduation gift in May and he brought it home the other day. I saw it laying there and I just so happened to pick it up and start reading it last night. I couldn't put it down. I'm caught in this question - have I been in a slumber? - and God is showing me what my heart is desiring to know -- TRUTH. I don't have the whole picture, just pieces of the puzzle, in my quest to know more of God and His desire for me, but this caught my eye on the front inside cover of the book, and I felt compelled to read more.

What if we're missing the point of our lives here on earth? - First question to hit me!

Then this:

I'm simply saying that the prevailing teaching of Christianity has become preoccupied with finding true pleasure and happiness and purpose on earth rather than the age to come. (Page 10).
The gravest concern we now face is the fact that our hope for the afterlife has slipped into slumber.
Our hope of heaven has fallen asleep. And when I say heaven, I mean Christ in heaven, for He is the Light of heaven, of the afterlife, of all the glory that awaits us.
We are more interested in the pleasures of this life than the bliss of the next. (Page 11).

I found myself asking God - are you trying to tell me something?! I feel like I must be in a bit of a slumber. Then, immediately, I prayed...God, get me out of this slumber...show me more...speak to my heart...I'm listening!

Maybe God has me blogging this to speak to the hearts of other Christians out there who might be asking the same questions now??...I don't know. I don't even know how to end this, but I felt compelled to write it. Only God knows how this ends, but I'm up for the journey to know Him more. I pray others out there are on the same quest. May God do something in all of our lives this year!