In the YES to GOD Tuesday post I mentioned that I had something to share that has been on my heart. Well, this isn't it. I will share that either this weekend or next week. God had different plans for my post after I was talking via e-mail yesterday with my friend Missy that I had the pleasure of her company at She Speaks this past summer. Missy is the author of a blog that is funny and real all in the same paragraph.
Missy has passion and on one particular subject I told her I would be her guest blogger on the subject anytime. Okay she said...how about Thursday? So I emailed her my story last night and told her to edit it as needed. She left every word alone and posted it on her blog today.
I want you to go read it if you have a minute, but first let me share this that I have learned of our Savior. The One who is the giver of grace. The One who can look at this mess of a life and find beauty in the midst of filth. No matter what we have done in our lives it is never too much for Jesus Christ to handle. Never.
The path to His throne is not a red carpet. Instead, it is a mud trail. My muddy footprints are embedded on the path to grace and mercy and because He welcomed me as is with open arms I am forever changed. Not perfect, only He is worthy of that title, but changed.
So...click here to read my story as well as Missy's beautiful testimony on her blog, "It's Almost Nap Time" and may God use your story as well.
He wants to, He just needs you to cooperate.
So come as is to the throne and let your King lift your chin off your chest and look in your eyes and say "Daughter....I am enthralled by your beauty".
Sin and all.
Junk and all.
Filth and all.
When we come before Him He is taken with us and He washes us white as snow so our trail from the throne looks nothing like the one to it.
Love you much...
33 comments:
Yes I read the story, I just want to say I LOVE YOU!
No matter how "ugly" you may see your past...I still see nothing but BEAUTIFUL in you and so does God. What honor you bring Him with your life. And that is such a awesome testimony to us all-no matter what "ugly" we have in our past, it cannot keep us from God and His purpose!!
You are a BEAUTIFUL maidservant of the Lord!!
In His Graces~Pamela
Lelia, my arms are aching to just scoop you up and hold you close while I weep at your story of redemption. By sharing your heart, you shout from the rooftops that Christ has come "to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair" (Isaiah 61: 1-3). Joining you today in a song of praise rather than a spirit of despair. You are dearly loved, my friend.
Lelia, I tried to email you today to tell how much I love you and appreciate the way you continually lay aside self-preservation for the sake of bringing other women to the beautiful knowledge of Christ and all that that implies. I am so proud to call you friend, and inspired by your humility and ever-growing love for our Savior.
I can't say anything the other's haven't said.. I'm happy God is glorified, and that you felt safe enough to share. Thank you God that maybe someone will make a different choice, and listen to God when women tell their stories.. that's what testimonies are for.. I pray you are blessed with His peace, and joy today, my friend!!
love and hugs,
Jean
What a blessing you and your testimony are to me and so many others. I know that God is smiling down on you with so much pride in who you are in HIM!
(((BIG HUGS!)))
In Christ,
Amy:)
Lelia, I just read your testimony. Can I just say you are a beautiful work of God. I feel so blessed to have become apart of the study you so obiedently started.
I know that choice, and I have walked that same road. God has used your testimony to remind me of his unbelievable forgivness.
Love in Christ,
Carol
On this already emotional day when I see my one and only finish pre-school and head off to big school next week, I'm struggling to stop the tears as I type this. You are a brave, brave lady, and you are truly an inspiration to the rest of us. God is truly using you for His glory. We all make mistakes, and ones that we regret for years and years afterward, but He is a forgiving Father, who opens up His heart to us, and His arms, to comfort and guide us to where we need to go - Heavenward to be with Him. Love you much on this day, as always, Paula :-)
With the upmost sincerity and honesty, I must say that when I click on my blog to see who's updated on my bloglist, I leap a little when I see your blog updated. I have to hurry to your blog to see "what Lelia has to say". You never fail me. You never cease to amaze me. You never disappointment me. Your stories and writing are always a delight in some way. I don't say this about you to set you up for a fall. I also don't say that to make you think, I'd love you any less if you failed. You are beautiful to me and I value your friendship.
I will now head over to read your piece.
Love you much,
Paula
Lelia,
You have the most pure heart that has so lovingly been washed clean by Our Lord and Savior. He always gets the glory in your writings and in our conversations via phone. Lelia, You did your Abba Father, proud, glory glory glory!
I've missed you, fun to have your text today!
Love ya,
Yolanda
Lelia,
Once again, you have blessed my socks off. THANK YOU so much for having the strength and courage to share your heart. What a wonderful testimony of our God the Redeemer. I pray that you have, at least, some small idea of how greatly the Lord is using you to further the love that others have for Him.
Lelia,
Telling your story of God's mercy and grace shook the gates of Hell!!!
I know it's hard sometimes to share you past but you'll never know whose life you might save.
love ya,girl
Lelia - you have taken my breath away with your willingness to obey our Lord even when it had to have been so very painful to open up those wounds for all of us to see. Thank you for your obedience and your courage. blessings, marlene
Lelia, Thank you for sharing and putting yourself out there - it was just what I needed to read tonight. As I strive to do a better job of sharing my story and shining His light, you are a wonderful example! Thank you!
Love, Jill
My sweet friend Lelia,
I love your honesty. It must have been hard for you to share your story... but God has been glorified. He is able to take our ugly and turn it into His beauty.
You are deeply loved my friend,
Lynn
AMEN...we can never say "I would never...." Being human is so hard. He has held you close and loved you well.
Thank you, Leila for your honest and pure heart you are willing to lay on the line...I love you and your brave obedience to the Lord. You are a role model to me, my friend, of what it means to be open and vulnerable to minister grace to those who need it. I am sure most of us have things that are deep and shameful in our pasts, you are not alone there so don't ever think you are. But His blood covers us all!
Thank you once again for a post that makes me pause and seek God. Blessings to you....
Lelia, thank you for sharing your story and i pray God blesses you for being obedient to open your heart and life to those who read it. You are an amazing woman who very obviously loves and serves her King!
Oh dear friend, you are truly His radiant one....
I love the way you bear His beauty, as you reveal how He has healed your broken heart....
You display Him well...
Hugs to you today!
Julie
PS. You need to check out my friend, Tiffany's blog. She's got a story to tell. You can find her on my blog under "Tea With Tiffany".
L,
I'm choked up girl. You are beautiful inside & out! Truly beautiful.
Remember the story of the woman who poured out her perfume on the feet of Jesus. Well, our testimonies I believe are that perfume in this day. He told those who asked that she had been forgiven much, therefore she loved much. Isn't that all of us?! What a Saviour we have! I'm so glad that He loves us just the way we are.
I'm sure that through the sharing of our testimonies of how He has redeemed us day-by-day it's like a sweet aroma to Him. Grateful for this common love-interest that we have and for wherever He leads you next.
Thank you Lelia for your honesty, transparency, and your way of sharing the love of Christ. I'm honored to be your friend and sister in Christ.
Heather of Swallowing A Moose
Such a beautiful story of grace and forgiveness. I pray God's love would clothe you every day. You are a beloved child of God, a forgiven child of God. Thanks for sharing your heart.
Take care,
Julie
God is using you in great ways my friend, and I am so proud of you. Thanks for your willingness to allow God to use your story.
What a good perspective for us to remember. The perspective of the hurting woman who feels she has no other options. Reading your story gives me new passion in my prayer for the protection of the unborn child. Knowing that there is a woman today who will face that same choice you did and who is hurting just the same. Thanks for sharing your story. I know God will continue to use you in greater and greater ways to impact women (and even babies!) because of your willingness to be used by Him!
Lelia,
I love you and GOD is glorified in what you have shared! It has no power to hurt you when tell others what GOD did with the pieces you handed HIM.
I know HOW difficult it is to tell a story that is painful but will resonate with other women. I KNOW that the only, only reason I did not have an abortion added to my list of sins was simply because I did not become pregant at "the wrong time". Every moment that I lived in sin, without a doubt, I would have aborted a baby inside of me as nothing but a dot.
Thank GOD that you feel and know that HE uses every piece of what we broke to create something beautiful.
I love you and thank you!
Teri
Thanks for sharing your story, Lelia. I'm always amazed by your transparency and your willingness to allow your story it's telling so that we might walk closer to our God.
peace~elaine
Seeing you today was, of course, by divine appointment....and I thought I was just going to a basketball game. Thank you, dear one, for your transparency and your genuine love for our Savior. You are a blessing to my soul!
Lelia,
You visited one of my blogs the other day and left a very kind message and I appreciate YOU. I finally was able to stop over to visit and was deeply touched when I read your testimony on the other site. Touched because of your heart to share and touched because we're in this fight for LIFE together with our own different stories of GOD's grace over our lives. His grace to forgive through Christ.
God bless you my sister in Christ and may God continue to be glorified through your story.
Much love...
Lelia--
I have just been introduced to you this weekend in this bloggyland! You are an amazing woman with a very powerful story. What the enemy meant for your harm, God has meant for your good!
I will be praying for you on this journey you are walking...May He strengthen you as you wait on Him.
Lisa
Thank you for sharing this amazing story from your heart. You bless me so, Lelia!
I'm so glad our God is full of grace and mercy!
Love ya,
Valerie
Lelia,
All I have to say is, AMEN! You are a beautiful testimony to all of the things that you wrote about today in your blog. God is using your story and He is most definitely enthralled with you, the beautiful daughter that He has spoken for and to.
Much love,
Shanda
You are so brave.
I haven't read your story yet, but I will when I get home (I'm at work at the moment)because I have a sneaking suspicion you are going to make me cry. You have a habit of that you know!
I might share mine one day. When I get brave like you.
Thanks Lelia,
I love your heart, your honesty and how much glory and honor your testimony brings to Jesus!!
Yes, He is enthralled by your beauty!!
Love you, and miss you so much♥
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