In Complete Awe...

Good evening to my faithful cats (i am referring only to the ones who update...you know who you are.)

Anyhow, so this weekend Daniel and i were on a retreat with the Leadership Team from Crossings. It was really great. I really have NEVER expererienced what i think Jesus meant for church to be in a community form without all the "crap," so to speak.

Anyhow, so at the end of our time today we spent a little while praying for each other. I had asked that the group be in prayer for my dad. Now, for those of you whom i haven't caught up with lately, my dad has finally come to a place in his life where he has decided to accept God's grace for the first time. He has started going back to church and is spending a lot of time in the Bible and seeking out God's best for him. In the past few weeks he has been going through a really difficult time with his business and his finances. He has been seeking God's guidance but it has literally put him in a pit. He has told me this is the most difficult test of his faith he can imagine. This past week it was really beginning to take a toll on him. Well, this afternoon i asked our Lead Team to pray for him, so we did around 1:30 and then we all went to lunch. So i got home tonight and after awhile called my dad to see how they are doing. He seemed in really good spirits and after a little conversation he told me that he & Jill were baptized today! He said that he has been feeling like something just wasn't quite right and he felt like this was what the Holy Spirit was asking him to do. So the pastor of the church they just started attending baptized him and then together he and the pastor baptized my stepmom. So after i congratulated i thought and asked him what time today all this took place. Yeah, you guessed it; 1:30! Right as we were praying, God was already answering the prayer.

Cats, I don't believe that baptism is what saves you. But i do believe it is like a wedding ceremony. Today my dad & stepmom married Jesus. I just can't tell you how long i have prayed for this. I know there are a couple of my dear cats who long for this for their dads and i just want you to know that for so long i thought this was impossible. But God is continually proving to me that he is still in the business of doing the impossible. Never give up.

Love you cats.
Meow.
Mandycat