I had issues.

[Warrning: very long post to follow.. you have been warned]

As I sit in the sweet spirit of the Lord in this morning's service, one of the main questions that arose was "Who has issues"? I think to myself  Only if you count trying since Dec 2008 to have a child, going through a miscarriage when you finally conceive, and then going through a semi-depression afterwards.. well, in that case.. yes I have issues.

Pastor Wayne has been speaking lately that 2011 is the year to 'Possess the Land'. It is the year that I will reach out.. I will take my promises. At the beginning of today's sermon, Pastor related a vision he has of a water bucket, one like you would water your plants with, that is slowly tilting and a single water drops falls out. He stated he sees this year at the year the bucket is about to tip.. and with it, pour blessing out over his people.

"4" stands for change. Today would mark the 4th Sunday of 2011.. and as you see by following along, change is about to come.

You see, as a side note, I am and have also been a member of a Pentecostal church.. one in which speaking in tongues, raising your hands, and shouting to the Lord is noted in practically every service. No, we are not a 'women can't wear pants and are never allowed to cut their hair' church, but we are very religious. I have been very active in church services since I was small.. singing in the choir, getting saved and receiving the Holy Spirit in my early teens, baptized soon after. Though I may not be consistently consistent with things, I have always held on to my beliefs and have a strong promise stated over my life that my days will be filled with the blessing of the Lord.

Kenneth, on the other hand, got his first experience with a Pentecostal church here and there.. but nothing of consistent nature himself. No baptism, no holy spirit. He has been coming to our now-church since we were dating, but never really participated in the 'altar' activities, for lack of a better phrase.

We started our service today with Luke 8:41-48, where we find a woman who had an "issue of blood" [In days of old, if you had an 'issue' or sore that bled more than a certain amount of time, you were sent out. you were considered dirty, unclean, banished to an area out of the common area of the people]. This woman, in my eyes, was desperate. She had an 'issue' that had weighed on her for 12 years.. a condition that doctors were unable to heal.. a condition that left her searching for Jesus, the one and only hope she had left. Thinking, "If I can just touch the hem of his garment, I might be made whole"... she reached out. Jesus turned, feeling virtue leaving him, knew someone had touched him, turned, found this desperate woman on the ground, fearful and trembling.. and what was his response?

Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Can you imagine that very moment, in the eyes of this woman?

The service was closed with several verses..

From Proverbs,'Keep they heart with all diligence"...

From John 15:7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you"

From Luke 17:6 "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.

Throughout the service, one thing rang true.. you can sit around with your issues, or you can step out and be made whole.

And that is exactly as I did.. after reach for my husband's hand, we stepped out and unto the Lord's mercy. With one word ringing in my mind "infertility". Though, I spoke not of the reason, my husband obeyed what he felt he needed to do.

The Pastor, and a visiting preacher, prayed with others, as well as myself and my husband.

The man of God that stood before me, laid hands on me, and spoke from what the Lord gave him. He related to me that things are about to change for myself and my husband. Though he knew not what I requested or stood in need of, God supplied my answer. From today's service on, my "issue" lay in my Father's hands. Though I may not remember all that was spoken over myself, being caught up in the moment, I have faith and know that, as my requests are fulfilled, I will remember those words and know the blessings are straight from God.

I come from that moment in the spirit of God knowing that, my worship for the Lord will not cease, he will continue to show himself in my life as he was my first love, even before the love for my husband. He reassured me that change is coming, blessings are coming..

He then turned to my husband, who received a blessing from the Lord so special words cannot describe. I prayed and reminded the Lord just what my requests for his life- to draw him closer- have been thus far. And he did just that. Also, in the midst of it all, as I began to doubt my "issue" had been made whole, the words "There will be sons/daughters brought unto you, the kingdom of the Lord will continue to grow and will not stop with you". My husband prayed, and received something today that blessed both him and I, all the way to the point of being on his knees in reverence to this amazing Holy Spirit.

I stood, smiling ear to ear, with tears on my face, and arms still outstretched in thanks to those promises given.. as the Paster turned then to his mother who said, "It has never happened to me, but as you prayed for this couple, I kept seeing 2".

The Pastor saw 2 as agreement. I see it as another interpretation. The true meaning will become evident in God's perfect timing.

Though I may not know the exact meaning of the "2", I know without my heart and spirit, that better things are coming our way. I hear my Father's voice, even now, saying 'Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.Go in peace."

Thank you, Lord, for those promises spoken unto my family today. Thank you for all the blessings in my life, and thank you for perfect timing.