With Gratitude

They had a going-away party for me when I left Central.  They do this for every employee, but this one seemed extra-special.  There were balloons, a cake with my life verse on it, and even a slideshow.  I felt very honored by all those who stopped by to say farewell.  Love and well-wishes overflowed.  If only it didn't have to mean I was actually leaving!

Timberlake church had a going-away party for me too.  It was orchestrated by the women's ministry that I was a part of for all six years I attended there.  It was harder for me...and sadder.  I felt an urgency to say last things that I would never have the chance to say again.  Kim, Irene and Rhonda all spoke about the ways I had impacted their lives and the lives of others at the church.  The love that shone through their words often moved me to tears.

I asked for a few minutes to share a few thoughts I had prepared ahead of time.  I'm not very good at impromptu speeches, and I very much wanted to thank people for all they had done for me.  This is some of what I said:

There is one gift I wish so much that I had. Stuart Liegey can still talk normally while the tears are rolling down his face. When I cry, if anything at all comes out, it's high and squeaky and unintelligible. But there are some things that have to be said, so just be patient with me. It's not going to hurt me to cry and it's not going to hurt you to cry with me.

I want to thank the elders and deacons, minister and leadership.  You have fostered a safe place where we women could dream up a ministry and watch it grow.  Thank you for supporting us both in words and in action.

I want to thank the card ladies, huggers and encouragers, women of this church who have not been directly involved with me in ministry, but who have loved and encouraged me in so many ways.

I want to thank the ladies who have supported women's ministry...attending, leading, working and serving, those who attended bible studies and DLT so faithfully, the Sunday school class Rhonda and I have taught.  You taught me how to serve with love; you have taught me more than I have taught you. The students have excelled far more than their teacher.

I am so grateful for the women's ministry core group and my accountability group: Priscilla, Melissa, Penny Sharron, Rhonda, Tessa, and Mary--hard core religious fanatics, every one of them. They love fiercely, and I love them fiercely right back. I NEVER expect to have such a good and godly group of women to serve with, ever again.

Mom and Dad Green – One of the best things I ever did was encourage Joe to take our little family to Alaska when Charis was a baby so they could be around one of their grandbabies, Joe could help them finish their house, and I could learn to know and love them all. Now, those little 11 and 12 year old girls are my dear sisters and two of my best friends. And David, that makes you my dear brother in spirit and in the flesh. And Mom and Dad Green are truly my mom and dad. I have spent almost every Wednesday eating lunch at their house and enjoying their hospitality. Mom, and Dad, I love you deeply.

If there's one thing I would want you to remember from all the words I've said and lessons I've taught it would be this: Continue to love each other deeply, from the heart. It's not enough to be a model Christian; you also have to model brokenness in all of its ugliness and warts and scars. People have to know this so they can also see how God brought you through the brokenness to healing and freedom and joy. God's greatest miracles today—and I use those words advisedly—are the miracles he does in peoples' lives, bringing them from sin, despair and captivity to freedom and joy and light. That transforming power is a miracle! Those are the things we have to continue to share with each other.

Sometimes it gets ugly. People are incredibly messy. But we still have to confess our sins to one another so that we can be healed. We have to do it even when they don't know what to say, when they mess up and betray us. Please, don't use that as an excuse to hide from each other. Sin just multiplies in secrecy and darkness. We MUST let each other know what God has been doing IN us. It's not enough to talk about the blessings, we also have to talk about the trials, and then rejoice when we see how he brings us through them.
This is how we let the world know that God is still living and active. He saves us for eternity, but he also sanctifies us in the here and now. This is how the world will see Jesus.

All of this sharing—telling your story—is a testimony of love. It's irresistible to the world, to see how you love one another. I have never experienced such an outpouring of love in my life. I will tell everyone I know about how you have loved me so well. To God be the glory.

And this is my final testimony to you: I want you to know that I believe this with all my heart—Job 19:25-27 - “But as for me, I know that my redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”