WORSHIPING GOD...

I have just returned from a 4-5 day hospital stay, where I was treated for pneumonia. If you've been following, or have known me, you know that the summer of 2009 has been a bit of a physical calamity for me. But for a VERY CLEAR REASON, I am not all that disturbed by it, and actually feel quite content! "Are you crazy, Cindy?" In the hopstial 4 times, 14 broken bones from a car accident, 2 weeks in a rehab, and living in a hospital bed, unable to walk since July 14th, and not again until mid-September???
At most other times in my life, I'd be completely withdrawn, depressed, lonely, and self-pitying. But at THIS time, I'm just fine. Actually, I felt quite lucky to have 5 days completely to myself. I never got so much done! I read the whole Book of Acts (5th Book of the New Testament, about the Early Church,) did a bunch of homework for a Bible Study I'm working on, and was fortunate that the hospital had satellite TV, which carried a Christian TV network 24/7!
It was so funny-- so many staff members commented on my "odd activites," Like waking up way before sunset to pray and read the Bible, singing praise songs quietly while having diagnostic tests performed, etc. One nursing assistant asked, "Have you always been so religious?" I had to laugh, and she didn't get it, but I told her that I am not at all religious but I am a Christian!
Do YOU know what I mean by that? To me, "religion" is about lots of rules and regulations, and repetitive prayers. But that's not what church is like for me. First off, "Church" is not about a building! Its about where YOU, or you and others gather to worship God! Church can take place sitting on our bed, under the stars on a Friday evening, or, yes, in a lovely new building that cost us all a pretty penny to build. God doesn't live in a building, He lives in His people! So, worship in your living room, or worship in a huge church buidling, or worship in the bathtub, but for God's sake, WORSHIP HIM!

I happen to adore going to church, and do everything in my power to get there despite my recent circumstances. Will God be angry with me if I don't? Doubt it! I just enjoy the fellowship of my Christian friends, hearing God's word from the mouths of different annointed Pastors, and to have an opportunity to serve others. In my church, we are free to worship as we please. No strict rules. Come as you are. God will meet you there!
I love to publicly show my love for Him, and thank Him for healing me of pneumonia in 3 days, and delivernig me from so many other things! When I want to tell Him how blessed I am by the sacrifce of his Son, and that because of this, I get to spend Eternity WITH HIM, and I CAN'T WAIT! And I want to scream it to the top of the rafters!
And if I want to sing, "My chains are gone! I've been set free! My God, my Savior has ransomed me! And like a flood, His mercy reigns! Unending love, AMAZING GRACE!" at the top of my lungs, with my arms in the air in submission to Him, and my face turned toward Heaven, then I can go ahead and DO that, and it doesn't matter who likes it or doesn't, because GOD DOES! The Bible tells us that "God inhabits the praises of his people!" DON'T HOLD OUT ON GOD!
To end this, I'll revisit the hospital for a moment. God gave me a Bible verse that helped me through, although I could hae found thousands that would bring me comfort. The verse He gave me in the Emergency Room was this:
"For I have a plan for your life, A plan to prosper you and not harm you, a plan to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)
Now, did He think I didn't know this? Of course not! I love this verse from the Old Testament. But God wanted to remind me, in that difficult moment that my future was not to include being hooked up to oxygen, IV tubes with antibiotics flowing through them, breathing treatments, and heart monitors.
He was reminding me that He had all of my days planned out before the beginning of the world! And a long tme ago, He showed me that He has awesome plans for me, if I stay within His perfect will. So, all throughout each day, I said to myself over and over, God HAS PROSPERED ME ALREADY. THIS IS NOT MY LIFE. THIS EXPERIENCE DOES NOT DEFINE WHO I AM! THIS IS TEMPORARY.
"For my plan is to give you hope and a future!"
How can you NOT want to follow the one and only God, the Creator of the Universe, the author and perfector of our faith, when He's literally got the while world in His hands, INCLUDING YOU?????
Again, for a free bible or just to chat about how to find God (He is not hiding!) e-mail me with contact info at cbuchanan@dejazzd.com
I'm not a strange psychopath, just a girl, sharing God's love, because I do love Him, and because He told me to.
Love,
Cindy