Christmas Eve

I can't sleep, no, I am not waiting for Santa. I am just in awe...of my Father! But before I move on to Christmas Day, I share with you some highlights from the past 5 days. I woke Thursday morning not feeling well at all. My body ached and I had the pepto bismal song symptoms. Lord, please, I can not get sick for Christmas. I made it to our Student service and was even able to sing and dance my way through the NSync song without heaving. After the service, Susan Marquez asked me to pray with her for her mother-in-law. She had just been diagnosed with needing open heart surgery. Susan and I prayed and I also shared with her how I felt terrible, she laid hands on me and prayed for me also. When I woke Friday morning, I felt good, like really good. I knew instantly it was the power of prayer. When I saw Susan tonight, she shared with me that at the moment we were praying, the doctors were telling her husband that they were only going to be putting stints and not doing the open heart surgery on her mother in law. They did the procedure and her mother in law is feeling better and recovering. The power of prayer.
Tonight my family and I all spent Christmas Eve serving at the church services, and having dinner together courtesy of Noreen and the Hospitality ministry. I sat with my family at dinner and was thinking how simple we were spending the evening, but it was what it was all about, giving. God gave. When I went back into the church lobby, I was told by a Pastor that they had seen some of my friends go into the last service. Wow, I was again, floored by God, so excited that they had come. Many years ago, their names written on the concrete floor of that building. The power of prayer.
I was given the privilege to stand at the alter and pray and assist those that heard God call their name. Some with such pain to give to God for Him to carry for them. I pray they awake tomorrow to celebrate the greatest Christmas they have ever had. I pray that this past weekend of attending a church service is just the beginning for many. That 2008, they will add that activity to their calendar and continue to walk through the doors to find hope, to find peace, to find unconditional love, to find the Power of Prayer!