Ordinary Girl

An Ordinary Girl Discovers an Extraordinary God

Firstly I would like to just acknowledge, affirm and show our appreciation to our youth. For those of you that weren’t here, last weeks service was organized by our youth and it was fantastic. As Access 2 leaders just want to let you know how special you are and how fortunate our church is to have you as part of us.

You know, last month Stephen and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary and headed off to the city for the weekend. During the weekend we saw a movie and on exiting the movie Stephen commented how easy it would be to just go and see another movie without paying! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I replied: But would that be living with integrity? And since then, this statement has come back to bite me (many times) and we now say this when our integrity is in question. So before I go any further I just want to be upfront with you about something. What I am going to share with you today I have borrowed from Lucinda Dooley. Lucinda Dooley is a pastor at Hillsong church and spoke at the Colour Your World Conference in March this year. (By the way ladies, make this conference a priority for next March. It’s awesome! And men, there’s something similar for men in October less the fluff and bubble, gooey, feel good stuff!) Anyway what Lucinda shared really hit home and touched me. I hope that it will do the same for you.

It was Friday, 13 September 2002 when I found myself in hospital, lucky to be alive and waking from surgery to hear the devastating news that Stephen and my almost full term unborn baby had died, due to a abnormal burst blood vessel. As you can imagine we were devastated and hence last year was an incredible year to say the least. A year that I wouldn’t not, want to live, but how I wish I didn’t have too!

Today I want to share with you how I, an ordinary girl discovered an extraordinary God through this experience. How over the last nine months I have discovered an extraordinary Love. An extraordinary plan for my life. An extraordinary Place to meet with my extra ordinary God. An extraordinary Strength, and an extraordinary hope for an awesome future. I want to equip you with scripture that you can call upon the promises that God gives us.As I share with you today, it is my prayer that you will be encouraged and challenged to search for and find, rediscover and/or become more intimate with our extra ordinary God.

1. AN ORDINARY GIRL DISCOVERS AN EXTRA ORDINARY LOVE

1 John 3:1

See how very much our heavenly Father Loves us, for He allows us to be called His Children, and we really are!

Hey church, did you know that we are Princes and Princesses? God says here that he claims us as His children therefore we are Aires of the King, son’s and daughter’s. We belong to a royal family. Not only do we belong to an extended church family here at Access 2 but we belong to the royal family of all times. We have been given royal authority and power in the name of Jesus Christ, from our extra ordinary God. All we have to do is claim it.

1 John 3:16

We know what real love is because Christ gave up His life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian Friends.

There is no greater love than to give up His life for us. The Greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. Real love is an action, as seen in Jesus’ death for us.

As a parent, I have only a vague idea of what God’s love for us is like. Our earthly, sinful nature stops us from fully comprehending how much God really loves us.

Through our actions we need to share His love with others. As I said before love is an action not a feeling and God has instructed us to give up our lives for others. I’m not necessarily suggesting death but connecting with others on a personal level to help them out, showing and sharing what Jesus has done for us. It’s about building bridges and making connections. Speaking of helping out..Stephen and I were so blown away and overwhelmed at the love support and help that you gave us…..We just can’t say thank you enough. Thank you!

Paul, obviously discovered Gods extra ordinary love. He says in Romans, “I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love. And Paul also says in Ephesians;” we will never understand how great God’s love is for us.

God holds us in His arms “always”. He died for us for heavens sake. Hello, think about it. If you were to die for someone, that person would have to be someone very special. I don’t even know if I’d be willing to die for Steve and I love him with all my heart. So imagine how much more our extra ordinary God loves you and I. I have felt God so close to me during the loss of Montana. He only gives me what I can handle. A little at a time. Sometimes it feels like nothing happened! But I am convinced that God is holding me and little by little as I can deal with it and helps it become more of a reality. He loves us so much. He doesn’t want to see us hurt but when it comes our way our extra ordinary God is there to love us extra ordinarily.

2. AN ORDINARY GIRL DISCOVERS AN EXTRA ORDINARY PLAN

Ephesians 1:9-14

God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centred on Christ, designed long ago according to His good pleasure. And this is His plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received and inheritance from God, for He chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own People. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

We exist only because God made us. He made us all individually giving us special plans for our lives and gifts to fulfill those plans. With God we are something valuable and unique. Apart from God we are nothing. Trying to live without Him would be abandoning the plan and purpose for which we were made.

God has an extra ordinary plan for each of us. It may not be right in your face. There maybe sharp, long windy bends on our journey, but have faith and patients. God knows the beginning to the end. My mum always says, “God is never in a hurry, He’s never late, He’s always just on time”. Our responsibility is to stay so connected with Him through prayer and his word for God to reveal the plan.

Trust me they are extra ordinary plans if we trust Him, obey Him and search Him and His word for that plan and purpose. My purpose right now is to be planted in this church. You know last year Stephen and I were planning to decrease our responsibilities here and increase responsibilities at Rouse Hill church. We were having a really heard job with this decision to the point where if I thought about it I’d end up in tears. You know God took the decision out of our hands. For when Montana died we just knew we couldn’t be anywhere else but here at Access 2. So God’s plan for us is to be right here. I believe that from this experience He has equipped me to help others in similar situations and to serve with a giving heart.

The plan is a journey but have faith in Him to know that that plan is the best because an extra ordinary God that has an extra ordinary love for us would have nothing but an extra ordinary plan for our lives. All we have to do is walk the walk and between here and there miracles will happen and the extra ordinary plan that God has for our lives will unfold and be revealed.

3. AN ORDINARY GIRL DISCOVERS AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE

Psalm 62:8

O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him for God is our refuge.

An extra ordinary place, where you and God are alone. A secret place that you can pour your heart out to Him. A place where He can take you and talk to you, one on one. A place that He can touch your heart. An extra ordinary place.

Daniels extra ordinary place to meet God was at his window on his knees looking towards heaven in prayer.

David’s extra ordinary meeting place was in the “tent” where the ark was resting.

Moses met with his extra ordinary God on mountains, and in front of burning bushes.

Lynda Keck shared with me sometime ago that some days God will be calling her as she leaves from work to her extraordinary place. She would race home saying I’m coming Lord. Park the car, unlock the door race to her bedroom and fall to her knees beside her bed. Lynda’s Hot date!

For me, my special secret place is the sky. A few years ago now, I was driving down Glenhaven Road, feeling rather flat about stuff, as you do! As I was driving I was talking to God and telling Him how I was feeling and looked to the sky and there in the sky was an enormous pink “T” in the sky and for me that was God saying, “Tarn it is all OK. It’s all-good. I’ve got it covered. And I received instant peace about the situation.

When I was in hospital I remember getting up early one morning to write a letter to put in Montana’s bed. The room that I went to was an ordinary labour room but the place was extra ordinary. It was completely surrounded by Angels and God’s arms completely surrounded me as I poured my heart out!

You know, life gets so busy that we often get very distracted and don’t allow time for that extra ordinary place. There is always something to be done, somewhere to go, someone to see. Allow time and make it a priority.

Where is your extra ordinary place? I challenge you to find that extraordinary place. Trust me that it is an extra ordinary place because it is just for the two of you. No one knows you like God and He will delight you beyond measure. Where just you and God can find intimacy with each other. Spend time there, often. It will be the time out you need.

4. AN ORDINARY GIRL DISCOVERS AN EXTRAORDINARY STRENGTH

Psalms 18:32

God arms me with strength; He has made my way safe

God promises to give us strength to meet challenges, but he doesn’t promise to eliminate them.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.

God’s power and strength never diminishes. His strength is our source of strength. When you feel al of life crushing you and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength

Philippians 4:13

For I can do everything, with the help of Christ, who gives me the strength, that I need.

The power and strength we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do His will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it.

God gives us physical, emotional and spiritual strength, before, during and after any situation.

God definitely gave me extra ordinary physical strength. I was so unfit when I ended up in hospital. I had done absolutely no exercise for at least a year and I’d been eating for two my entire pregnancy. When the ambulance guys cam and couldn’t find a pulse I know for certain that God had given me a new measure of His physical strength leading to a full recovery.

You know I loose it! I really do! I’m not in anyway saying today that I am over it because I’m far from it. I have ups and downs and think about what happened everyday. But God has given me strength and peace new each day!

God has also strengthened me spiritually. You know when Montana died I remember saying to Stephen “ I can understand why people would loose there faith in God when things like this happens. However I chose to claim His promises for me, and my life. I chose to but on His armour of strength and face the situation with boldness and confidence that God is extra ordinary and will give me an extra ordinary strength and God has given me an extra ordinary strength. Amen!

5. AN ORDINARY GIRL DISCOVERS AN EXTRAORDINARY HOPE

John 16:33

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Take courage in spite of the inevitable struggles you will face, you are not alone. Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.

Philippians 3:14

I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven

Look forward to a fuller and more meaningful like because of your hope in Christ

I’ve often thought that even if there is hell at the end of time and nothing else, at least living with hope it’s a life fulfilled. I’ve had something to live for. Better to live with hope that not. Hope to face another day, Hope for a better day. Hope for a better life…. Eternity with Him

Some of you maybe acquainted with cuddles, my little girl Brooklyn’s bear blanket thing. This week he was in desperate need of a wash so I did. Now washing him is not a problem however drying him takes way too long as Brooklyn can’t wait so I put him in the dryer and proceeded outside. I then heard from the laundry a little voice ….”Cuddles, can you hear me…..Can you hear me? Brooklyn had hope. She new for sure that he would come out she just wanted him to hear her too.

A friend whom I used to work with came to visit when I was in hospital. On her arrival she gave me some hard-boiled Pascal lollies saying….”these are because, life just sucks!”

Life does sucks sometimes. There is no doubt. But with hope there is brightness to suckiness. If I didn’t have hope that I will see my baby girl in heaven soon, I would be entirely crushed, and feel completely ripe off and robbed. However, with the confidence of Jesus taking us to heaven for eternity I have peace for today and tomorrow and life is that much more bearable. We have the choice to live with hope that there is a better day and life still to come and how much better is our existing life if we can live with that extra ordinary hope.

CONCLUSION

So there you have it! An ordinary girl discovers and extra ordinary God. But it’s not just for me to discover. He wants all of us to experience and discover that He is extra ordinary. That He has shown us His extraordinary love for us through Jesus’ death. He holds and extra ordinary plan for our lives and it’s up to us to stay in tune with Him to have that plan revealed. Find that extra ordinary secret place where you can chill out together and He can help our journey along. Be bold and confident in the extra ordinary strength that we can find in God at all times for anything. And the extra ordinary hope of eternity with Him is ours!

He turned my loss into love

My panic into a plan

My a place for my pain

He gave me strength for my sorrow

And He turned my hurt into hope!

An ordinary girl discovered and extra ordinary God!