Whitnee's journey with Christ

As I walked into the Sunday school room, I could tell by the smiles and cheer on all the beautiful faces that it was going to be a good class. And boy were my instincts right on the money! Being in Children’s church gives me pure joy because it shows how God is working in each young person from Joshua’s age all the way up to Micah’s age. But I tell you, the richness of Sunday school is the highlight of my worship experience hands down.

As Kelly taught us and Dave eagerly read the first passage of Scripture, such wonderful dialogue and wisdom came from discussion questions. To have a space where ALL views are different, yet equally important, and distinct reminds me of these scriptures:

The Bible tells us in many Scriptures that though we are all made in God’s image we are uniquely and wonderfully made. No two people were created the same. No two people will have the same story to share, though they may have similarities, there will always be differences. It’s like our body parts: each ligament, cell, bone, joint, or limb was created for their own function. Though they each serve for their own function, each ligament, cell, bone, joint, etc. is needed to the common good of the body. In other words, they are equally important though different, and they all serve one purpose.

Personally speaking growing up I wanted to fit in. I didn’t like having a gap, I didn’t like being short, I didn’t like having big legs, I didn’t like having darker skin. It seemed everything that set me apart of from others, I hated!

If only I knew then what I know now. If only I would have actually embraced my differences and believed what my parents said about me. Here I am sitting here thinking they were just trying to be nice because they were my parents but in all their positive affirmations, it was God’s word that they were instilling in me.

You know the saying “when you know better, you do better.” So now as a parent, I can tell my boys to embrace their differences and walk boldly knowing that their 1 percent is beautiful!

We are 99% the same but how is your 1% different from other people?

Margie from ECBC

The question sparked raw emotion and really struck a nerve in a good way. (It got me out of writers block to say the least). But it showed just how merciful the God we serve is. Our Sunday school lesson tied in perfectly with the lesson Faith and I taught the kids in Children’s church. The scripture focus was Romans 10:15. The question posed in Children’s church was how can he use our beautiful feet to spread the Good News?

So friends I want to now ask these same questions to you (share your responses in the comments section of todays blog): How is your 1% different and how can you use your beautiful feet to spread the Good News?

There is no right or wrong answer!

Like Anna said, some people did not grow up in a church. Some folks know that God is in them and that God loves them but are unsure of how to tap into that infinite resource. Some folks don’t know the power within them because they’ve never been empowered. Some folks don’t see the good in themselves because folks only remind them of their mistakes and wrongdoings. Some folks have hidden agendas that cause others to be distracted or confused and they never allow their 1% to show because their focus is to take away others individuality. While there are several reasons we can list, the real numbers come in when we search our hearts and minds and provide honest answers to todays question.

No matter the age, race, social status, political affiliation, religion, food preference, sex, how you identify yourself, etc. WE MATTER! We all have something to offer to the Body of Christ, that’s why we were created.

I want to share a brief story of what I experienced in the store this past Friday: While waiting around for a phone call, I decided to go in my favorite store. As I was approaching the cash register, the cashier from the back of store recognized me and said she would be on her way to ring me up. Just as she walked in between the clothing racks, I heard a loud thud. The thud was a man who had fallen down- as I made way towards the man it was apparent he was having a seizure. From the experiences I have had with my mother-in-law I knew the man had to be turned on his side and I needed to clear the area to avoid him hitting his head. Moments later two other customers came to check things out, one just so happened to be a nurse and the other lended a helping hand to get some pillows to secure his head. I noticed blood coming from his mouth- I didn’t want him to choke on it so he was turned a little more on his side. At this time about 3 or 4 minutes had passed and the man on the ground was unresponsive. His hands began to sweat and his face appeared to be clammy. I didn’t know what to do besides trying to keep him alert or to wake up at this point so I began praying. As I prayed the nurse rubbed his hands and back trying to stimulate his body so he could regain consciousness. The other customer began talking to him and telling him her name. Though unconscious, a person can still hear. She told him her name and stated she suffers from epilepsy and wanted him to wake up so we could know his name.

What felt like forever the ambulance was finally in route. As I prayed, the nurse rubbed his body, and the lady talked the man opened his eyes. He might have been overwhelmed and confused and tried to get up. We had to hold him down and still secure his head and he began to seize again. I began to prayer harder and though I was panicking on the inside from my years of professional experience and training, I knew I had to remain calm. The nurse knew she had to remain calm. The customer who has epilepsy also knew to remain calm. We stayed by his side until the EMS staff arrived.

A man who was with him (he had been in the dressing room at the time) came out and saw his friend on the ground. He panicked. He picked up his friends keys and his cell phone and said he was about to call someone and let them know what was going on. As soon as he heard sirens you won’t believe what the man did?! He ran outside, crunk up the man’s car who was on the ground who had just had two seizures, and he hauled butt down Two Notch. The store clerk and I were in a state of shock. While we rendered aid to a stranger, his so called friend abandoned him.

The moral of the story is in that situation God allowed each person present to use their 1% difference, in an unique way to render aid to our brother in Christ. We are never strangers in God’s eye because we are all His children. So that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. This whole weekend I wondered about my brother in Christ, I pray he is okay and he got the help that he needed. And even to his friend that deserted him in his time of need, I pray he is okay as well.

Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has plans for You. Those plans are to prosper us and not harm us. Those plans are to give us hope and a future. Y’all there are so many people struggling right now and they need US to use our beautiful feet, words, words, and more to encourage them through their hardship or current trials. They need to know what we serve a mighty and a gracious God. They need to hear that God’s word brings comfort to all no matter where we are on this journey called life. They need to hear that no matter how big or small the contribution is, we all have something to give and to offer to do God’s will. We all have an unique purpose for the common good of God.

Just like the story I shared earlier, we all had a role to play to help a man who suffered from two seizures. We prayed, we secured the head from any further damage, we called 911, we stimulated the body, we spoke life into him, we cared. We each had different roles that served one purpose, to render aid to someone in need.

As I prepare to close todays message, I want you to look in the mirror and speak life over your finances, your health, your family, your marriage, your house, your car, your bills, your friends, your job, your church, your community, your purpose, and for God’s will to be done in and through you. Use your feet and the 1% that sets you apart from others to shine a beautiful light that glorifies our Father in Heaven. Use your gifts and talents to change the world, and make it a better place for you and I.

Your 1% rocks, your 1% is beautiful, your 1% stands out and is set apart, your 1% matters, your 1% is loved and embraced, your 1% is fearfully and wonderfully made, your 1% is unique, your 1% is bold, your 1% serves its own purpose, YOUR 1% IS NEEDED, MUCH APPRECIATED, and it comes together for the good of the Lord.

Shout out to God who gets to celebrate 3 years today with my mommy in Heaven. I’m so grateful that my mom allowed her 1% to leave a legacy of love, giving, serving others, and serving God and she passed it down to my brother and I. I thank God that both my parents in Heaven paved a way and planted the word of God in us at an early age. I’m so blessed to know that even in Heaven mommy your 1% glistens like a bright star in the sky and that you shined boldly for God even down to your very last breath. Keep shining over us mommy and daddy and keep encouraging and inspiring others to help us use our beautiful feet (thanks Faith) and our 1% (thanks Margie) to serve the Lord.