The Power of a Christmas Card

Two nights ago I found myself blown away by the power of a Christmas card. Now you might be thinking all those gushy, holiday thoughts like "Oh how sweet, someone I haven't heard from in a while sent me a Christmas card" or "Now I feel the holiday spirit", but the power of this specific Christmas card really awakened my spirit and in all honesty, my view of myself.

As a lot of you know there is an amazing woman of faith that I have admired and looked to for guidance in the last year...her name is Lori Salierno. I had first heard her speak at GCC a few years ago and she completely blew me away. She not only was on fire for God, but she was on fire for her husband and her ministry with youth as well. I immediately liked her. Granted she had no idea who this small-town girl from Mishawaka was, but I was okay with that.

Then last year GCC had Lori as the guest speaker at the Women's Retreat. Our group from nevaeH was blessed to spend an hour with her in a question and answer about life. I learned so much that weekend and there were so many improvements I knew I needed to make in my life.

And then, are you ready for this excitement, in the fall of 2004, GCC made the announcement that Lori Salierno had agreed to partner with GCC to mentor the women leaders of GCC for the 2005 year! We had three different weekends this year with 150 women and Lori. I was able to talk with Lori a few times about life and my ministry and by the last session we were all, Lori included, sad to see it end. Every time the weekend would end, I would be on fire for God and I knew what changes I not only needed to make in my life but wanted to make in my life as well. The only problem was, I often continued with life and never made those ever important changes. To be perfectly honest, I just forgot about them. I believe Satan didn't want me to make those changes because then I would be growing closer to God and farther away from him.

Then Monday a Christmas card came. It was from Lori. All the women in our group received one, and it was just a simple photo Christmas card of Lori and her husband. And it hit me...I hadn't done any of the things I had so desperately wanted to do. Ask anyone who would see me during or after one of our sessions with Lori...I was on fire! God had spoke to me and I knew without a doubt what I was supposed to do. And over this past year I hadn't done hardly anything.

Monday night and yesterday I knew something wasn't right inside of me...I wasn't as happy. I wasn't sad. I wasn't anything. I was dormant. I was conflicted and twisted and didn't know why. And then before I went to bed last night I saw the card sitting there on the table. And I knew what was wrong. I knew what I needed to do. It's time for me to begin on the next leg of my journey with God. I have been in the same place for too many months now, occasionally taking a step forward, only to move back again. I am choosing to move forward. It's time for me to keep those promises I made to myself and to God.