testimony written by Courtney Reagan
There are many things about StoneWater Serves 2011 that have just brought me to tears out of complete overwhelming emotion and awe. The first reason would have to be how amazed I was that so many people could be brought together to serve others in need. I have never been a part of something like this, and it was just amazing. I could feel God’s power and love around me. I felt it as I was walking into Texana Plaza and we were all wearing our blue shirts getting ready joyfully for some hard work. I could feel it when the band was singing and we were all getting pumped by the songs we sang. You could just feel the excitement and the joy.
One of my proudest moments though, happened earlier in the week. My husband volunteered to lead a project during journey group one night when Casey Oliver explained StoneWater Serves to the group. I was excited for the project and was proud of Johnnie for being willing to serve. Then, the Thursday before, Johnnie went to meet with the owner of the home - Ms. H. He was there for 2 hours, just talking with her. He came back with a feeling of humbleness, thankfulness, and compassion for this woman he barely knew, but immediately cared about. We went to the grocery store that night to get drinks and snacks for our team, and then to Lowes to get materials to fix her porch. I could just see the excitement and desire in his eyes to make this woman happy and to feel loved. Seeing this in him got me pumped and we were thinking of different ways we could make this woman feel special. Since I was 7 months pregnant I knew there wouldn’t be much for me to do the day of, so I baked her some muffins and Johnnie made sure Ms. H would have a 12 pack of diet coke- her favorite - the morning we arrived. The night before we were so excited and so ready to serve God by serving Ms. H. And I was proud of my husband.
The morning of, Johnnie headed to church early with our friend David to get things ready for our team to arrive and find out any last minute info. We sang some songs, Jeremy gave an awesome motivating message and we were off!
When we got there Johnnie delegated and led our team. He told me I had the most important job… to talk with Ms. H. I must say I was a little nervous. I didn’t know her at all and I just wanted to say the right words and after Jeremy’s message- I wanted to give her love more than anything. So for two hours as our team worked and worked on Ms.H’s yard mowing, weed-eating, cleaning up trash, fixing the deck, trimming trees and I’m sure way more- I sat and talked with Ms.H. She was so sweet. So thankful. So overwhelmed. She didn’t understand…why were we doing this???Who does this? Why would we do this for her? She doesn’t go to our church, she doesn’t give back to the community, why would we give her this? All I could say was “We just want to love you.” And I just couldn’t help but thank her! I felt so grateful that she would allow us the opportunity to love on her, spend time with her, and serve her. It’s like I was getting more out of it than she was! I think I finally understood why it is better to give than to receive. I truly was overwhelmed with joy. And she just kept talking about Johnnie, how amazing he was and how I needed to hold on tight to him. She told me all about her life; her husband that just up and left her, how she lost her job as an insurance agent, her daughter that supports her and is “ a true blessing in her life”, and about her daughter that wants nothing to do with her. She told me about how she gets food from the mission and how she’s spent many a cold nights trying to stay warm with layers of clothing since she can’t afford to put the heater on. I can still remember the visual I got when she said she was layered in clothes trying to stay warm, but she just couldn’t get her nose and face warm. I had no words. And then she told me how she felt so guilty for receiving food from the mission or money for bills, because she feels she doesn’t deserve it. She feels she doesn’t do anything to earn it. What could I say? Here I am constantly complaining about being “broke,” meanwhile my husband and I each have a job, college degrees, a home, a loving family, food on our table- EVERY NIGHT, clothes on our back, and more things I can even think of to be grateful for. All I could say was, “You have no reason to feel guilty, you are loved and people just want to help you.” We continued talking and I just listened. Probably the first time in my life I listened that attentively. I tend to talk a lot… about myself. But that day God answered my prayer and gave me the ears to listen. And I was blessed. I was blessed to meet Ms. H and to get the chance to just listen and love on her. I was blessed to watch a group of people come together to serve strangers that are often looked down upon because of their lifestyle or living situation. I was blessed because I was able to witness my husband, who not even a year ago accepted Christ into his life, show love, compassion and the leadership and desire to carry out the will of God. I fell in love with God all over again on Sunday. I fell for Ms.H and I can’t help but think of her every day. And I don’t want it to end on last Sunday. She will be seeing more of us. Johnnie promised her he would mow her lawn weekly and I’m sure he will be bringing her that diet coke she loves. And the coolest part of SWS this year for me, I fell in love with my husband all over again. I know this is all for the Glory of God. And I can’t wait to see how he uses Johnnie as the leader of our home to bring Glory, fame, and honor to the Heavenly and Gracious Father we serve.
By the way, Ms.H is very interested in coming to Stonewater and we are praying that she will make the leap one day. She even said she is looking for a cute man in his 60’s that “doesn’t look like a grandpa.” Sweet little lady. She touched our lives in ways she may never know and it was all because StoneWater Serves God by serving others.
Do you have a testimony from StoneWater Serves 2011? Please e-mail the Ministry in Action team at info@stonewaterchurch.com to share your story.
No comments:
Post a Comment