He is EVERYWHERE!

As I sat in the pew the speaker introduced a video of a woman named Janet. The speaker was from Alabama Teen Challenge and had brought a group of young women to our church to share their testimonies. The video was of a woman who shared her testimony at Alabama Teen Challenge's 50th anniversary. She began to speak about being raised in a Christian home, making wrong choices as a teenager, being deceitful, living a double life it seemed. She began to talk about her experience with drugs and the awful pit she was in.

As the video finished a young woman stood up, took the microphone and began to share her story. She was also raised in church, was from a divorced family, grew up to be a "normal mom," had two children, was living a normal life when she miscarried a baby and then was diagnosed with cancer. After being healed from cancer she found herself sterile and began to earnestly pray for another child. After four years, God answered her prayer and she became pregnant. Within a few weeks of her due date she left the doctor's office with the news that she was ready to deliver any day. As she drove home she was involved in a head on collision that left her temporarily paralyzed and she awoke from a coma to find out that her unborn son had died. At this point she became an alcoholic.

Story after story that was told I began to relate. Although I have never struggled with a drinking problem or a drug problem I have struggled with valleys, depression, hopelessness, despair, rejection, humilitation, disappointment, heartache and loneliness. Haven't we all? Tears poured down my face as I listened to how these women have not only over came their addictions but how they have turned their sight towards heaven in the process. It was a very moving service. Tears filled the room. You could hear sniffles and you saw parents looking at their children knowing that it could be their child standing up there or it could be their child that was lost in the same situation not knowing how to get out.

As one Mother stood to share a parent's story she spoke of how she could feel the prescence of the Lord as she walked into Teen Challenge with her daughter. As they began to pray for her daughter she could feel the Holy Spirit right there with them. These words sent chills over me and as I type this once again I have chill bumps. I began to realize that God is EVERYWHERE! I know in my mind that God is everywhere but to actually begin to try to wrap my mind around that overwhelmed me. Throughout the day at work, driving home in my truck, sitting at my desk, walking through the grocery store, sitting with you while you read this blog. He is there. He is everywhere! I try to grasp that concept and just as soon as I almost get there, I stand amazed once again!

It says in Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save." I could list verse after verse where we are told that God is with us. But, this is my favorite. Not only is he with us but he is mighty to save. After you catch your breath and try to wrap your mind around the very fact that he with me, with my children, with my husband, with you, with your children, with your husband, he is, well, EVERYWHERE at the exact same time please take a moment to thank him! To serve him! To worship him! To love him!