This past Sunday (2018) our sermon Come and Worship “Bow your knees” hit very close to home and prompted this letter to the congregation. May I start with a little foundation? My family has been in the Lynn Haven United Methodist Church for 23 years. We have seen many changes all the while watching God stay the same, steadfast and true to all of us. Some of you know me and many I have yet to meet. I welcome anyone that would like to reach out.
This all started when I had had enough of the little extra weight I’d gained after being sick and not able to exercise. Now at the point where exercise could be integrated back into my life it was time. As a dear friend would always tell me “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. Overcoming the flesh, I set out for a three-mile walk. Headphones on with a pep in my step rocking out to (new to me) Christian rock n’ roll. I never knew this even existed. By the end of this, very tired, worn out and thankful to have made it back home, I fell to my knees to thank the Lord for getting me home and walking with me. This began a tradition each day not knowing where it was leading me except feeling very good in my mind, body and spirit. Each walk ends by kneeling and praying. Psalm 95:6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
So fast forward a few months. Troublesome was stirring in my spirit as I’m a single mom, 42, college degree and never found a career that felt like that’s where I was supposed to be. Money tight and a talented daughter with an expensive sport. On this day I set out with a “Come to Jesus with Jesus”. The first half I got my groove on getting the heart rate up. On the way back the music went off and the talk began. Me: God why in the world would you give me the talents that you give me to close me in an office with four walls? Look at you, as I’m pointing out to God. Anyone that saw me must have thought I was crazy with animated arms pointing out all the beautiful things God has made. GOD! You get to show off all this glorious work. What am I supposed to do? How do I use what you have given me? And then he gently says real estate. Really?! As I rebutted saying, there are so many agents and that test, that test is so hard! How can I get through that? Ok Lord if you say so I’ll try but you must carry me. The thought of not knowing where my next paycheck would come from was beyond scary. At the end of that walk and each one after I fall to the ground on my knees “Lord please carry me through this”!
The next week there were night classes and weekend classes for the next month. God laid it on my dear friend’s heart Lori Grant (a member of LHUMC) to take the class with me. What a great friend! Her background, she and her husband had many investments in real estate when the market crashed. Needless to say, it was a challenging time for them and still is for her. As she says God has a sense of humor to bring her back into this industry.
The first day of class at the lunch break there was another girl, Ann Hayward, we’d just met. Fairly new in town she was headed to lunch alone. Being the extravert that I have become over the years, out of my mouth “Hey, would you like to go with us”? Little did we know God had a plan! As we were at lunch, I’m just talking to anyone that would listen. Ann says to Lori “how does she do that”? Lori replies that it’s just Jean. As I got to know Ann with a paralegal and banking background, she is great with numbers and contract details. All the areas where I needed to grow. This is where the friendship began. Now we were on this journey together. Praying together, we study hard, I mean hard! But I tell everyone we prayed harder. We all passed that wretched state exam on the first try. Only 2% of people pass on the first try. You know that was a God thing. Now we have teamed up and work under the same broker. Each one of us has our own role. Within the first month we were set to have five closings. Well, if you know anything about real estate the deal isn’t done until the keys change hands.
So why am I telling you all of this? As we learn the ins and outs of this business we were told to get your database together. Keep in touch with them. Who is that I ask? God told me you. So here I am reaching out to the people that would enjoy hearing God stories and people that I’ve prayed for and that have prayed for me. It is my hope that you will welcome me in your mailbox periodically to share God stories. Maybe anxiously await the next adventure of God sightings. We serve a mighty God that as we kneel and pray, he gives us strength to stand and even allow us out of our comfort zone so that we may grow and share his good news to those around us. May today be a day that you stop kneel, surrender and pursue our loving God.
Blessings to you all,