Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Spring Things




Image: Martha Stewart



Good Morning! Hope this finds you all doing well! I wanted to pop in for just a minute and let you know that I am still here! We have had some celebrations here lately...My husbands birthday, Bennett's birthday, Easter, my birthday, Mother's Day and this weekend we will be celebrating our 11 year anniversary! I cannot believe it! We also have all of the end of the year school stuff going on like many of you and of course this delicious little newborn who has just absolutely stolen our hearts!!

Oh the sounds and the smell alone of a newborn is enough to send me right over the edge!

In addition I was so blessed to travel to New York City for a speaking engagement at a women's conference recently! I can't tell you how much it blessed me. I will say that for me personally it was just a really incredible experience. Each time I share pieces of my story publicly I am amazed at what the Father does. Really amazed at the way God will use those broken pieces and places of my life to bring Glory to Himself and also to bring healing and restoration to the broken places in others.

I love women's ministry and spend a lot of my time away from the computer in real life on a daily basis ministering to the hearts of women.

Without a title. Without a position. Without a paycheck.

After motherhood it is my greatest passion.

To become an instrument in the hands of the Father. To share what He has done in my life. To offer encouragement and hope and healing in some small way. It is a tremendous honor.....

I don't know if twenty years ago, with a baby in my arms and the lights cut off again in my little trailer, if I could have dreamed that one day I would be standing on a stage somewhere, sharing with the hearts of other women, some of whom have a baby in their arms and the lights cut off in their homes ....that God is God all by Himself. That if He did it for me then He will do it for them. That no matter how painful their circumstances are. He can turn it around and make things better. And better than they ever imagined. That He sees the end from the beginning and that He has incredible plans for their life.

I just don't know if I ever could have dreamed that something like that was even possible for me.

So as you can imagine, each time I stand on a stage or minister in a bible study or a women's group, it is equal parts overwhelming joy that the Father would see fit to offer the opportunity and also it is just incredibly humbling.

The girl who thought she wasn't supposed to be here.

God just has a beautiful way of bringing about a recompense that one can hardly put into words.

And I am still going through things. Some of which are really painful. My testimony is growing on a daily basis and there are some days that I say "ENOUGH already!" "I'm just one person!" "I can only take so much!"

But I try to remember that no matter how painful things are right now, God has a purpose and a plan and one day He may need to use these "light afflictions" to benefit another heart who is struggling. And hopefully I will be able to offer hope and encouragement out of real experience and heart knowledge and not just head knowledge.

I count it as one of life's greatest gifts.......


May you experience Him in the most beautiful ways this week sweet friends. I will be back soon to share tons of pictures.


10 comments:

Unknown said...

As Paula White would say, many sermons are born from the furnace of affliction and our lives are the walking sermon God uses to display His remarkable grace. Continue to use your life as the tool to display not only His grace but His unconditional love to the broken lives of women. I have been blessed to be a witness of your compassion towards the lost and hurting and am so honored to call you friend and "spiritual mom". Love u bunches!

lizziefitz said...

Sibi, can I help? I hate that you are in pain , again. My thoughts and prayers are with you ...always.

Sibi said...

Thank you Lizzie!
We are good! I was just referring to going through the process! We all are going through things. Some more painful than others but He is so faithful to bring us through!
I tend not to share all the things here because I want this to be a place of encouragement! And there are more blessings than heartbreak:) I know you can relate!! love you and thank you for your friendship!!

Sibi said...

Mel,

thank you so much for your beautiful words!! I adore you and will message you again later after the kiddies are down for naps! Thank you for everything!!!

Tiffany said...

There just aren't any words to say what this meant to me today. Thank you for your words of truth and encouragement. God has already used them today.

Emily said...

How wonderful that you get to reach out to those who are in the position you once were in. God really does use the tough times we've been through to glorify Him and help others.

Maria said...

God has a purpose, God has a purpose, God has a purpose. I don't know how many times I've had to speak those words to myself lately too. This blog post blessed me so much today. God is so amazing, He knows exactly what we need to hear to make it through each day. Thank you, xo

Coastal Health and Home said...

Dear Sibi,

I'm glad that your trip to
New York went well.

I hope that you were greeted by
old friends and new ones.

Blessings to you!

Best,

Coastal Blue Ocean

Kathie Truitt said...

Sibi,

I couldn't find an e-mail address so I'll just leave my message here. Are you anywhere near Memphis? I will be doing a book signing at Hastings , 1245 N. Germantown Pkwy, Ste 11 Cordova, TN on June 4th. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to meet you and your family.

Kathie
Author of "False Victim"
kathie.truitt@hotmail.com

red ticking said...

God is soooo good. He will always guide us in every way... xoxo