God has been calling me lately to step out of my comfort zone, to reach beyond where I feel comfortable, and to trust Him to do the work that my imperfect words cannot.  This morning was one of those times.  Some weeks ago, I had been asked to share a little bit of my story at the women’s brunch, where the theme was A different kind of love.  I accepted, and, for those of you who wanted it, here is what I said.

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I imagine that many of you grew up as I did: hearing fairy tales of epic proportions, beautiful princesses getting the prince, the handsome prince Charming riding in to save the day on a white horse… but as my dad would say, prince charming is a myth, and you’d have nowhere to keep the horse. I’d like to tell you a fairy tale of sorts this morning, but one that ends with a God who loves you and me more than we could ever imagine.

Once upon a time, there was a young girl born, firstborn to her parents.  They were overjoyed that their baby girl was a part of their life, but soon they saw that the fairy tale wasn’t all they had hoped.  Their little girl, at 3 months old, was diagnosed with a terminal illness.  Her parents were given dozens of medications, an appointment to a specialist, and a life expectancy of less than 20.  Her parents decided to raise her like they would any other child: and they went on to have two more, both very healthy.  As the little girl grew up, she realized that she was different.  But she tried her very hardest to fit in, to be normal.  She wasn’t particularly pretty, or smart, or popular.  She was always sick, but she tried not to let it bother her, or others.  She didn’t want pity, and she didn’t want people to see her differently.  The girl grew up.  Quickly.  She had a real sense of how short life is; by the time she graduated high school, her life expectancy was in the mid 30s.  As she entered her senior year of high school, just like pretty much any other girl, she wanted a boy to ask her to prom.  One day, her dream came true.  Soon a friendship turned into something more.  They went two different places for college, but talked about getting married afterwards, having kids, moving on with their lives.  But after she learned that he had cheated on her again, as a sophomore in college, she called it quits.  As he walked away from that cold metal bench in the park where they had shared so many memories, he said, “You’re not worth anything because you’re going to die young.  How could anyone love you?  You’re not good enough.”  Her heart in pieces on the ground, the devil started to use this boy’s words to taunt her.  How could anyone love me?  She asked.  I’m just a girl with an early expiration date.  No one really wants me.  And let’s face it, I’m going to die young, so what can I really do in my short time here on earth?

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m the girl in the story.

Through the years, these words have surfaced again and again in many different situations: on the drive home after watching an incredible couple get married, after never being asked to dance at another wedding, after never being asked out again after high school, after watching so many younger than me have what I may never have.

I am loved by a God who created this world, all of its beauty and all of its joy.  He came to earth and lived a short life and then he died.  He was raised again and is preparing a place for me where there will be no more pain, no more suffering, no more sickness, no more grief. When he came to this earth, he said, I love you.  And I love you this much: he stretched out his arms and died.  For me.  To me, and to you, he says, you are worth everything to me.  Everything.  I love you.  And my love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.

If you have the privilege to be loved by someone here on earth, you are blessed.  If you don’t, well, you are still blessed.  Because His love is different.  His love is everlasting.  No matter what you’ve done or what you’ve said, He loves you.  No matter how many men have told you that you are worthless, you are priceless to him.  No matter how many mistakes you have made, His love will never leave you.  I love you this much, he said.

The song I’m going to sing for you this morning is one of my favorites right now.  It’s based off of a story found in the gospel of Matthew, when Jesus tells his disciples to go out on the boat and wait for him.  Now, if I were one of the disciples, I would of expected Jesus to come out on a boat.  But instead, He walks on water.  As the disciples see him, they are afraid and think he is a ghost.  Jesus calls out to them and says, “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  Peter, one of the disciples says, “If it’s really you Lord, tell me to come to you on the water.”  Jesus says, “Come.”  Peter has the courage to get out of the boat.  As he walks toward Jesus on the water, he looks down, and sees the waves crashing around his feet and cries out, “Lord, help me I’m drowning!”  Jesus reaches out his hand and says, “Oh you of little faith.  Why did you doubt?”  I want to get out of the boat.  I want to fix my eyes on Jesus, and when the waves are crashing around my feet, the doubts and fears crawling back in, I want to look back up at Jesus and take his hand, and have faith.  This song is called Oceans, Where feet may fail.

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Without God, these would have been just empty words.  But God showed up in a big way today, and I’m so grateful.  Thank you to all of you who prayed for me throughout this day and the weeks previous.  If you’d like to see the video of the song I sang, email me and I’ll send it your way.  But for now I’ll leave you with a picture of some of my Bible Study group who was there today, supporting me and praying for me.  Thanks so much ladies, and I am so blessed to call you all my friends.