So Your Hands Stay Steady

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Exodus 17:10-13, (emphasis mine)

A friend is going through a divorce. I heard through a family member that her soon-to-be-ex father-in-law told her that if she needs anything at all to let him know. Then this family member said to me, "I'd starve to death before I asked for help." I kept my mouth shut, but thought how sad to never ask for help, to never allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to allow someone else to know you, to live life so alone.

This conversation occurred a few weeks ago during a visit that ended with hubby & I being told how we are not good parents, how we are typical parents who raise the first child well and then relax too much for the second child. The worst was hearing how disappointed they are in us. The visit left me quite upset (quite an understatement, but really all I care to say about it!) We returned home and attended church the next day where friends encouraged and prayed for me, that God would guide my parenting - not the opinions of someone else. Another friend pointed out that this continually happens with this person and that they do not speak life into me. True!

This weekend was my worship team weekend at church and I frankly had a bit of an attitude to start, not with having to play, just with everyone (in the world!) wanting a piece of me and me wanting to do what I wanted to do. So we prayed at the beginning of practice, about that and other stuff, and practice was really good! Honestly more worshipful than practicing - and I was really pumped for what God was going to do at church over the weekend. He never disappoints, does He? So many people were impacted by the message and what God was speaking to their hearts that during all three services there were many (20-30+) people waiting to get prayer at the end. Many giving their lives to Jesus for the first time, many tears, lots of joy, and as I was on stage I had a front row seat to see it all! It's hard to walk to the front and tell someone you need help for whatever it may be!

On Sunday evening we attended one of the most beautiful weddings - ever! A beautiful Labor Day weekend day in northern Minnesota (when does that ever happen?), an outdoor wedding next to a pond, a beautiful bride in white - with cowboy boots, a groom with a surprise song, personalized vows where they promised to always point each other to Jesus and love each other no matter how fat they get (there were a few other promises in there as well), the couple drinking both sweet and bitter wine demonstrating their commitment through thick or thin. Lovely! I had to remove my glasses more than once to wipe away tears. Then the wedding party gathered around the couple, laid hands on them, and prayed for their new life together. From my seat in the audience I could see both laughter & tears and tears as their marriage was given to and blessed by God, the creator of such great love.

The events of this weekend, the powerful ways I got to see God come and minister, bring me back to my original point. Life is meant to be lived in community. How much better is this life when we let someone in, allow them to see who we really are, see them come along side and support us. I am SO thankful for the people in my life who do this, the ones who speak life & love into my existence, the ones who raise my hands when I am too weary to do it for myself.