You Ask Me Why I’m Happy

I have just come off of two amazing weekends traveling to speaking engagements. I was honored to speak for Mrs. Ruth Sturgill at Boiling Springs Baptist Church in Fletcher, NC last weekend. We had such a precious time of fellowship together. Laughing is one of my very favorite things to do and Ruth and I did plenty of that! Her ladies event was beautiful and the ladies were so encouraging to me.

This weekend, I went to speak for Mrs. Stephanie Fowler at Pleasant Beach Baptist Church in Elizabethton, TN on Friday evening. Steph is one of my very dearest friends and has been for a long time. I thank God for deep and long friendships. She is always a blessing to me and we never get enough time together! The ladies at her church have become family to me and so I always enjoy my time there. Stephanie did such a beautiful job decorating and we had such a fun evening!

On Saturday morning, we drove on to Alpine, TN to Grace Baptist Church where I spoke for Mrs. Rhonda Copeland. My dad pastored that church while I was between the ages of 9-18 so I grew up there. Rhonda was my youth pastors wife at that time and now her husband pastors the church. It was such an honor to be asked to come back and speak there. I felt nervous as I spoke to the precious ladies who had watched me grow up! They had been secretly writing to Jimmy to prepare Thirty One gift bags for me and all of my girls. It was so sweet and very much appreciated!

After the meeting Saturday afternoon, we drove back to SC to be in our own home church on Sunday morning. We got in at about 1:30 in the morning. I was absolutely exhausted but oh, so happy. Why?

I love every single time I am able to share the story that God is writing in my life. Whether that is at a ladies banquet, a song I can sing, or a story I can share with another person, I am so glad that God is using my story to bring Him glory.

Early on in my paralysis, I asked The Lord to please not waste my life. I asked that for whatever reason He allowed this to happen, to please use it for His glory. Every time an opportunity comes up, I thank the Lord again for using this broken girl.

I remind myself constantly that this is not the Alicia Show. I am not the main character. Jesus is. I just want to be used in the script of life. I want to do everything I am able to do as The Lord opens the doors for me. I have yet to seek out one door. God just makes it happen and I roll through!

You ask me why I’m happy? It is not because life is easy. It is because God is using my struggles for a greater purpose and He has chosen me to help make that happen. Weekends like these last two are affirmations that my life has purpose and God is writing His story through my life and I pray it is advancing His kingdom. In the very last chapter of the book of Job, as a summary to all the horrors that Job had been through, we are told in verse 12, “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:…” That’s it for me.