Wow it has been an eventful weekend. FIrst of all let me say that I auditioned yesterday at MountainTop to be on praise and worship and I officially joined the team yesterday! : ) Thank you LORD! Answered prayer!!! Philip is the worship pastor and he is such a humble, approachable person. We just went backstage in the green room and sat down and jammed, we sang revelation song together and I got goosebumps!!! I love the harmonies!!! I am very excited! So to all who have asked...I will be posting some professional videos up here in the near future : )
Now onto the best...I met a woman named Christy yesterday. She is amazing and inspiring. Betsey (who had met her just minutes earlier) introduced her to me and as she began sharing her heart with us, I was blown away by her strength. Her little girl, named Stardust, has stage four cancer. She is only 8 years old. My eyes water as I even type this to you my dear friends. I knew I just had to meet this little angel. Betsey and I asked Christy if we might be able to come over later in the afternoon, after church to pray over Star and Christy. She was thrilled and eagerly accepted the offer.
At 3 pm Betsey and I arrive and on the door is a little sign: "My daughter has stage four cancer. If you have come into contact with any viruses, have been ill, or have come into contact with any strong chemicals please stay at the door, please leave your shoes outside. Please Pray for Stardust, Thank you! Healing in Jesus Name!! " Betsey and I just looked at this little paper on the door and once again were reminded of the severity of the situation.
The God of the Universe is much bigger than cancer. In His eyes the severity is nothing that one touch, or one mustard seed of faith, cannot cure.
So we enter, and we sit and talk to Christy. Beautiful little precious Stardust is tired from church and chemo so she rests upstairs as we talk to Christy. By the way, Stardust is the most beautiful little girl, tiny, fragile, no hair on her head, gentle, sweet, quiet, very deep and perceptive...one minute with her will change your life. I sit on the floor and hold Christy's hand and Betsey sits beside her, she is not alone. She pours her heart out even more. Her story and struggle is unimaginable, and yet this little frail woman has the strength of the Almighty God shining in and through her. She says to us that she is so weak and puts on a good face to be strong for Star, but that "Star is the strong one, she is the angel...she witnesses to me everyday..her love for the Lord is contagious and overwhelming." Wow.
After we sit and talk for a while I learn that Star's father passed away one year ago...when she was seven...coincidence? Empathy came flooding out of my heart, with each tear that Christy cried. She does not see the strength that is in her, she is a pillar of strength and light! Betsey and I both took turns praying together with Christy and Star. It is in those moments that I really really truly experience Jesus' love and see the glory of God with my own eyes. When I empty myself and let Him in to do His will through me, to love his children through me, I fade into the background and only He remains...it is like an out of body experience. Words can hardly encompass the magnitude of His presence and grace...it was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. There is so much more to this story than I am able to share with my earthly words and understanding, but someday in heaven we will all see if played out again. It will all come full circle and we will all know.
Yesterday God reminded me of why I was called to this, why I have a heart for this...because I share His heart in this...and He breaks my heart for what breaks His. Those moments are what I live for, I no longer live for Malorie...I have tried that, it did not work or satisfy to live for myself. No, not anymore. I now live for God and His heart beating in me is what keeps me alive. "There is a place, there is a place-where He is not worshipped, where He is not known." It is those places I am called to...it is those hearts I am here for. To show His love to the world, to sing His praises to the world...to bring hope to the hopeless because He is hope. This is my mission. His mission through me. Please stand in prayer with me for Christy and Stardust.
We have to live in the house we have built. Build wisely. What do we live for?