I've been wanting to tell some more of the story of how God can bring beauty out of the ashes. He had to go to extreme measures to get my attention! If it wouldn't have been for our home and everything we had burning up in our fire, we never would have moved from here, and I never would have had the opportunity to find out that I truly could do whatever I felt God was calling me to do.
Before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, born again, I would never have had the courage and boldness to step out and do some of the things I found myself doing when we moved to Billings. I immediately found a prayer group there. It seemed as though I had known these people forever, not that they were new friends to me! We had so much to share of the Lord! What a privilege it was to be able to live there for 19 years!
In those 19 years, I felt the Lord calling me into many areas of service in the church. One of those, and the first one, was to lead the music at St. Pius. Our dear friends, Ed and Hazel Havens, had moved to Billings about a year before we did. They were our friends for about 15 years before they moved. They had 3 daughters, who were Linda's and Janet's age, and one in between. Terry, LeeAnne, and Jackie. One night I walked into the church just to pray. When I walked in there was Terry, LeeAnne and Jackie! They were practicing with Terry playing her guitar, and Jackie and LeeAnne were singing. When I walked in they were so happy to see me, and ran up to me with hugs and excitement. Lonnie, can you help us? They said we can't do the music for church unless we have an adult involved with us and no one wants to! I said I'd give it some thought. I went home and prayed and read scripture and talked to my Mom and Dad, who were living there at the time. Every time I opened my bible it was a passage about music and singing. Whatever I was listening to on the radio said Sing to Lord! I overheard conversations about singing. I asked my Mom and Dad and they said "sure you could do that", so I figured all that was the Lord speaking to me. I said Yes! And what came from that Yes was absolutely amazing! Not my doing, for sure, but because I was obedient and said Yes, the Lord worked everything that happened through me! Our group grew and grew. We had about 30 of us. We had guitars, instruments, and drums. I knew nothing about music, but these kids gave it their whole heart and soul! Karen learned to play a guitar, and she joined the group. Janet played the drums, and the rest of our family sang. We had several other guitars. It was amazing! One Christmas Janet played her drums at the offertory of the mass while we sang "Little Drummer Boy", and she marched right up to the altar and the baby Jesus in his Creche. People began coming to our mass from all over town, and we soon had to have the "St. Pius Shuffle" to get everyone in the church. We had lots of empty seats, no music when we first started. That is a "miracle" from God. Now, this is only one area where I said "Yes". I'll share others later.
I just wanted to encourage you all to listen for the Lord's calling on your life. You'll hear it the same way I did. And, even though you don't feel equipped to do what he calls you to do, you can do it - IF it truly is the Lord speaking to you. He seems to say "Listen to the desires of your heart. I place that desire and talents in you so that My Kingdom can grow."
Psalm 66 was one of the passages I received when I was trying to discern His voice. Read it sometime. I especially like verse 1 and 2: "Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing of his glorious name! Tell the world how wonderful he is." and then verse 16: "Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me"
Above is a picture of our group. There is another row of kids behind the guitar players on the right.
8 comments:
What a wonderful story Mom. I must have been living in Denver by then, I think. I do remember how you led the music group and how everyone enjoyed it so much. It was your calling. Wish you could do something like that again.
It was a blessing and I could have only done that through the grace and calling of God! Now I don't have that desire or the energy to do it. So, it must not be meant for me to do now. Thanks for the comment! You were there some time because you told me once that the most fun was standing behind me and watching my butt wiggle to the rhythm of the music! I'll surely never forget that, you silly!
That's right! You did have that butt wiggle down.
All that love and time you dedicated to St. Pius and the people of Billings came back to you one thousand fold, Lonnie. You were very well thought of there and very loved and very much appreciated. Pretty amazing how that works, huh?
MOM, you were awesome. You helped many people and certainly you helped me and are still helping me. I love you, MOM!!! SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH and I am so PROUD to call you my best friend and Mother! HERE!HERE!!
Thank you, Kay, Sharon and Karen for the very kind comments! Yes, I have been blessed abundantly through what I did there ~ through Christ who strengthened me. I loved the 20 years I got to live there. I thank God a lot for all those friends and for all I was able to be involved in there. I miss it a lot. I miss Billings more than I could ever say. But, I know I grew beyond what I ever thought I could because I lived there! Since we came back to Great Falls, I am trying to know what the Lord has in store for us here, and what the purpose of coming back here is. I love our little prayer group. I sort of feel this blog is a step in the direction the Lord is leading. It's hard to get used to the idea that this is Great Falls and things are not the same here as they are in Billings, but the Lord is here, too, and needs people who will answer his call! I'm willing, I guess ~ but not ready. I feel as though I am being prepared for something, but I don't know exactly what that is yet.
Maybe you are being prepared to meet Him in the second coming??
I brought you to the prayer meeting at Saint Luke's, and you were baptized in the holy spirit there. You were so so sad and ready to give up. You were saved by the Bible. I remember reading a verse to you, John 10: 10 and it changed your life. I think you forget that it was me, Karen, who brought you to the Lord. I know you know that. It was life changing for our relationship.
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