Refreshing & Restoration Is NOT Manicures, Going To A Movie, Family Dinner Or Christmas Presents. Let Me Share With You What True Refreshing & Restoration Are. What I Experienced.

I wrote earlier and shared with you that these few days were refreshing and restoration. Let me share my true experience in the last few days is that ok with you?  Getting a manicure and picking out just the right shade of nail polish is not in this category. Though it was fun, refreshment did not come from that or derive from it either. Let me share with you about yesterday and today.
I explained how I woke up with a headache and it kept me back from attending the earlier church service. Well in looking back there was purpose in attending the second service. The usher that is most gracious and kind to me was not there so I could not ask for a seat for one. I was placed in a good seat until a lady that was sitting down that row offered me a better seat. She said a friend was not going to be attending the service so I could sit in that seat. The lady seated next to me looked familiar and I asked her if she was ever in the choir. She looked familiar to me from when I attended this church. Sure enough she was in the choir. We briefly exchanged words and when I asked her what Holy Spirit was speaking to her she told me that we were experiencing the convergence of the churches right now. Somehow that turned into my word about peace and sharing about the anointing oil in Dalton, GA.
The scripture verse Pastor preached from was in Luke 2 and sure enough peace was mentioned. She looked at me and said confirmation. In my new seat I sat behind a teenager and I noticed how pretty her hair was braided and I complimented her. Her mother told me that that young lady actually braided her own hair in the car. I was amazed at that and said something to the effect maybe that is the route to go with her life. This braiding really impressed me to begin with and then to find out that she actually braided her own hair in the car mind you. Her mother said she also does manicures too. Never thought anything more about it. At the close of the service our pastor did an altar call (why are there churches out there that do not do altar calls? That baffles me.) Oh my gosh this young lady responded to the altar call and her mother went with her to the altar. Do you realize such an honor was bestowed upon me to compliment with a sincere compliment a not too far in the distance a born again child of God. That truly humbled my heart. What a real privilege and honor to share with a person that was just minutes away from giving their heart to Jesus. I can only imagine how elated her mother was to be able to walk to the altar with her child to receive Christ. Do you think that classifies as refreshing? I do.
Today I thought my intent was to go to the earlier candle light service for Christmas Eve but I actually go to the 2nd service. Got a really good seat, even better than yesterday. Praise God. Tonight for me was all about worship. That is where my heart and spirit come alive so to speak. Yes that is refreshing and restoration to me. The presence of God is so tender and personal. You can be in a church filled with people and He touches your heart in your moments of worship. True refreshing and restoration too. See Holy Spirit sent me on another adventure this evening. First of all back to church. The presence of God is always at this church anytime I used to attend this church and now when I visit it. Tears rolling down my face from pure worship. Amen to that I say Amen. I love when Pastor plays the saxophone during worship. The anointing is on him and him playing the saxophone and of course, preaching the true word of God.  It happened to me near the end of the service during worship. The glory shout sprung forth from me. When this happens to me I have moments of tears streaming down my face one minute and then a great big smile comes upon my face. My eyes shut of course unless I have to see the screen for words to a song. Even at that there are moments in worship that I become so over whelmed that one minute I am singing and the next words just cannot come out of me. I hear myself saying over and over again You Are Awesome or Hallelujah. That just wells up inside of me. I love Jesus, I truly do.
So after the service I told my mother I would bring home Chinese. Well the restaurant I thought I was supposed to go to I circled the parking lot twice and no parking spots open to park the car. So, I think oh there is the other Chinese restaurant down the road. See, I used to live in the neighborhood so I knew the area. Never did I expect this blessing to occur. Never in a million years. I placed my to-go order and was sitting down waiting. I struck up a conversation with a mom holding her young daughter who was very excited about Christmas Eve. Her mom said that it is amazing that her daughter was asking to go to bed early probably in anticipation of Santa coming. We talked and shared and I said you can't go to bed too early because you would then get up real early in the morning. Another lady had her Santa tracker on her phone and told this little girl that it was projected he was to be at her house in 4 hours but did not know how long it would take to get to this little girls house. It reminded me of when my children were young and that anticipation of your children sort of wells up inside of you again as if it was yesterday. Can you relate to this?
I noticed out of the corner of my eye that there was one of the ministers from church there. I then heard another person tell me they were waiting to be seated and they had a party of about 20 people. Low and behold they were some of the ministry team from church. Yep that is right. So who walks in the door next. The worship leader. The very person that brought us into the presence of God that very night. He greets us that are sitting down with a hand shake and a Merry Christmas. This was my opening to share briefly that he got married since the last time I visited the church. And he introduced his wife. I then told him how I received refreshing and restoration with the worship and church. Only God could set this one up for me. Supposed to go to earlier service, not; supposed to go to the other Chinese restaurant, not. Do you see how it works with Holy Spirit adventures?
Can you tell I cherish my adventures. I truly am like a child when HE says go here do this say that. It is all Him and I am only the vessel that says ok. Blessings of joy and peace fill your hearts is my prayer for you.