How would you prepare to celebrate a church birthday......

maybe like mom use to say, 'get your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes on and let's go!'

I remember fighting with 'tights' (similar to pantyhose, but thicker [so younger kids couldn't destroy them as easy]) and the color had to match the outfit mom had picked out for us to wear or even worse, the ruffled socks--and the most frightening thing that could happen--mom pulled out the outfits that matched your sisters'!--Like you really wanted people to know you were related to HER. And to cap off the outfit, pretty shoes that squeezed your toes and left a red-mark or worse, a heel blister (that would just be healing by the time next Sunday rolled around--when you had to squeeze your foot into them again!) Yea, they were cute, but it's hard to hear God talking to you when your feet are YELLING that they hurt! Oh yea--those were the good old days--well not at our church!

I got up Sunday, slipped in to some casual black slacks, put on a casual top, put on a little make-up and my tennis shoes, grabbed my Bible, and off to church we went.

What else was different? I was amazed that number one, we were on the way to church and number two, the topic in the car was football! I just know the 'Body snatchers' have set pods down and changed who we are! These are not the people we were, ten years ago, before we started attending The Brook. Actually, our ten year celebration will be Palm Sunday!

Then I realized, as we had turned off of Hwy 72, onto the long driveway to church, past the neat new electronic sign--with color now--awesome---that I was doing it again! What you ask? Going past my comfort zone. Oh, yeah, I've been out of the closet to my friends, as a recovering alcoholic, for years, but I'm going to stand up and raise a sign with my 'dirty laundry' out there for everyone to see!

And here it is:


There I am--showing everyone that I was a drunk!!!

Then I turn the cardboard over:



And people clapped! They clapped! And I'm crying as I think about that! My ugly scar changed by God to a beauty mark! And I felt God's joy, for being obedient, for sharing, and bragging about how He had changed me! Only my Mighty God could have done that!


I want to thank so many people. I don't know where to start! Willowbrook Church in Huntsville, for their vision and obedience to God for supporting our little church until we could stand on our own--financially!

The dear repair man, who came to fix our recliners that had a recall and told us of the new church in Madison. (God always has his ducks in a row!)

For dear Steve and Felicia Lacy, for their years of dedication to God and the family members of this church.

For all the staff who worked with almost nothing but faith!

To Linda Jones, who became a friend and mentor to me as I began my walk with Christ.

And now to my dearest friend, Shelly, who calls me on the carpet, at times, but loves me unconditionally, whether we agree on things or not!

And most of all, to My Holy Father, who never gave up on me, even when I turned my back on Him and went and did things I'm not proud of! He has forgiven me and forgotten them! He is SO AWESOME.

It would be wrong of me not to mention a few more. To Jan Owen, our Worship Minister, for her, at times, exhausting work to make everything so wonderful to worship our Father! Her love of


and

are a great combination to fill God's church with a 'new song'. She gets to 'jammin' for Jesus' and I could sit there all day and listen to the Praise Team! You can visit her on A Worshipful Heart.


We also have a great youth leader for our middle school and high school students. Josh has a true heart for God that can't be contained when he speaks about his Lord. You can visit his blog just simply known as Josh Britt

And new to our family at The Brook is Richard Buckley, who not only brings a honest and true love of God, but a maturity, peace and joy that has truly helped heal our church! I know he was an answer from God when so many of us where wondering the desert, afraid that we had lost the joy forever! You can check out Richard's blog, NEW HEIGHTS and see for yourself what an amazing pastor our God sent us to give us His Amazing peace!

I'd like to thank Bill Rainey for the awesome pictures he took and posted on his site, Bill's Personal Website and that is where I got the two pictures of me above! Bill also plays a guitar in our church band.


As you can see, he's a real cool cat!

And since I always like to leave a smile on everyone's face, my greatest fear was that I would show the wrong side first. That I had been sober for 19 years and now I've been drunk for 18! LOL! Boy, that would have brought the rafters down! I love to say that I've finally been sober long than I was drunk! There's a saying among longtimer that have several years of sobriety. The further you get from your last drink, the closer you get to your next one! I pray my next one is due a few hours after I've been in Heaven!

And I know I post this alot....but it seems so appropriate with the 'cardboard testimonies'!



And I loved this, it really explains to me what God is doing in my life!



Enjoying every moment, while being excited about tomorrow!