Saturday, January 7, 2012

All New Years start with........

resolutions.

Don't they?

Mine seem to and in most cases the year ends with a new list looking a lot like the old one.   But some things get marked off and some things continue as they should.

One year my list was to increase my service to God and His Kingdom.  Not a bad resolution and one I should keep, increase and stay focused on without lag.  I can be busy with the busy of life but I cannot be too busy to serve God.

And for me, serving God means serving women in prison through other ministries; discipling them as best I can as I was discipled and showing them the love they can trust, God's love through my eyes and heart and time.  I feel wonderful in prison (knowing I can walk out of course) but working with these women and sharing with them the hope that is theirs as well as mine.  I love taking the time to teach and listen and cry and walk with them through their journey.  I come home feeling blessed and joyful and happy!  I cannot tell you how much!

I just finished up a session of Celebrate Recovery with the ladies in 3E at the Lockhart Unit and celebrated their 6 month graduation from the faith based dorm.  What a joy it was to get to know each and every one of them.  I watched faith grow, faith questioned, change happen and God working.


These ladies, despite their fears of sharing too much, trusting others or God, dug in deep and worked hard to find the areas of their life that at this moment they were ready to deal with and let God heal.

Seeing them each week, singing praise songs side by side, working through a tough curriculum made each week a new experience but a joyful part of my week.

I already miss them.  Some I continue to hear from; others I do not.  I am moving on to the Woodman Unit teaching Beth Moore's Breaking Free and facilitating Bridges to Life Groups on Monday nights.  I will adore working with these ladies as well and I will find connection, family and love as I do so.

My New Years resolution; just keep doing what I'm doing and loving God, my family and His family as He commands me to do to the best of my ability and with more reliance on the Holy Spirit to pour out that love, the love I once so needed and now so need to share.

May God richly bless your New Year and may He direct your path to your ministry.

1 comment:

  1. Wow- what an interesting post! I really enjoyed reading this. It sounds as if the wonderful work you do is extremely rewarding and likely filled with many blessings. What a wonderful servant you our to the Lord! Is the Celebrate Recovery the same as the one developed by John Baker of Saddleback Church? I am currently in a small group Bible study and we are doing his Life's Healing Choices study. It often refers to Celebrate Recovery. If that's the same one, I would imagine it's a wonderful program. Hugs and Blessings to you Leslie!

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