Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wordless Wednesday (and the picture I promised!)


Hey Friends! How are you???

It's a Weary Wednesday for me today!


I'm recovering from a crazy, full week last week (3 major deadlines + life with 4 kids) ~ so I'll experiment once again with "Wordless Wednesday" .....although, as we all know, I'm not very good at it!


First, some background information....at Bible study this week, I shared the story of my dear friend Jen and her amazing journey.


Unfortunately the picture of Jen's baptism didn't show up well (the room was too bright ~ must have been all the video taping lights!). I didn't want my AMAZING Monday night friends to miss the powerful picture ~ so I promised to post it here on *She Sparkles*!


Here's my Wordless Wednesday picture.... (I'm in pink, Jen is in wet black)



I know the goal of Wordless Wednesday is to share a favorite photograph and go wordless.



But in case you are wondering why this baptism picture is so special to me ~ here's the powerful story of my friend Jen :)



Have you ever had a friend that from Day 1 you knew this friendship was going to be special??

That was me and Jen! At our first "coffee" years ago, we were already sharing real life. Jen's family had just moved to Michigan from California, only for her husband to lose his job. Jen and I kind of bypassed the small talk and went right into sharing our hurts, our hopes, our disappointments.


Then I asked the question, “Oh, so where do you guys go to church?”.

“We don’t” Jen replied.

I soon learned that although we shared a common love for family and for kids – we also shared many differences.

Jen wanted nothing to do with the Christian religion. Nothing. She prayed to a higher power. Believed there were energies in the world. Didn’t understand my love for God, and didn’t want to. It was as if her mind was veiled to God and His Truth (2 Cor 4:3-4)

You know what I did? I started praying for Jen and her family. Praying that this veil would be taken away. My Bible study started praying for Jen. My husband, our kids were praying. Friends’ friends that didn’t even know Jen and her family were praying. Praying that this family would know God's great love for them!

Jen and I continued developing our friendship and she became one of my closest and dearest friends.


After about a year of journeying together, I invited Jen to my Bible study. She said yes. I couldn’t believe it! That night I finally had the courage to ask Jen if she would like to invite Jesus into her life. Jen wasn’t ready, she said. So I asked her if we could we pray together?

Jen said that would be ok...so I prayed that God would take away the veil getting in the way for her and her husband – and that God would reveal Himself to them.

Soon after, Jen and her husband started attending church as a family. (I couldn't believe it!) And on Easter Sunday of 2008, as they were driving home from church, Jen’s husband Tom leaned over and said to her – "I met Jesus today". (Can you believe it??! Yippee!)

Soon after, Jen went on a women’s weekend retreat with her new church – and she gave her life to Jesus! (Woo Hoo!!!)

"Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." 2 Corinthians 3:16

It has been amazing to watch God work so powerfully in Jen's life over the past few years! God clearly has a very special and significant plan for Jen and her family! And she handled the trauma of
Tom's heart attack with such faith in God and tremendous strength in Him. She is truly an inspiration!

And I will never forget the day, just 2 months after
Tom's heart attack, that I was sitting between Tom and Jen at their church, waiting for Jen's name to be called, so that I could baptize her.



Only God.

Last fall, as we gathered in my home to celebrate Jen (and her mom) ~ my heart was so full of gratitude to the Lord! Jen and her family have such a special place in my heart...always.



I miss Jen terribly (her family moved to a different state last year ~ boo!) ~ but thank God daily for bringing Jen into my life and blessing of her friendship!

Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles* on this Wordless (cough cough) Wednesday!

May your week be filled with much joy, friendship, and life-giving moments!!



P.S. If you'd like to make today a Worship-full! Wednesday, take a minute and listen to my new favorite song! Perfect for this Holy Week!! I love it!!!

Click here!!!! :)

P.S.S. For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom. :)

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