My Body Can't Travel...But Oh How My Heart Can!

To my Brothers & Sisters on the other side of the world,

My heart wells up with so much joy when I even begin to think on what to say. Thankfulness flows out for all the wonderful things God is planting and reaping in your lands. I never knew my heart could hold so much love and emotion for a people I had not had the pleasure of meeting, but God is showing me how it can. I would love to share with you my whole story just on what God done for me to bring me to a place that I might know you, but I fear it may be long. So let me see if I can shrink it down just a bit. :)

As you have seen above, my name is Julie Pressley. I am 23 years old. I attend Pioneer Baptist Church in Texas. God brought me here when I was 19, and how thankful I am that he did. Before finding my way here I lived a life of uncertainty. I had been raised in a church all my life but words that were put before me had no meaning. I made mistakes I wish I could have taken back and tried to hide from God at the same time. For years I thought God had forgotten about me, but He knew what He was doing and how He was directing my path towards Him.

When I was 19, I moved away from home to a place an hour away. I met a young man who invited me to church with him. I went and my life changed after that. The words that Bro Mike preached were different from any I had heard. They had life in them. God knit my heart to his people there so that I would never want to leave. This church, God's people, are my family. I could not imagine life without them.

My heart began stirring with the words Bro Mike preached. I began to see how lost I truly was. I struggled longer than I should have in finding rest. I was lost for 2 1/2 years before I truly began to seek Him. It was after one service when I was talking with Bro Mike that God showed me how I was cut off from fellowship with Him. I knew it was true. I had built a wall around my heart, I was scared to let Him in. The Wednesday before Easter God moved on Bro Mike to have the Lord's Supper. During that time God had told Bro mike to make extra, that there was still room for one lost sinner to come home, to partake in His goodness, that there was room at the table. I could hear God telling me, that is for you, the extra my child is for you. My heart broke. I could feel the walls breaking, but I wasn't ready to let go. I wanted to be with Him, but I was afraid He would turn me away. But God wasn't planning on giving up on me...He had more in store. I struggled the next week. I prayed and asked God to help me believe. I felt so alone, so empty. By the Sunday after Easter I was ready for something more.

I Have Found the One My Soul Loves!

April 15, 2012: A day I will never forget. I struggled all throughout the morning service. My heart felt so heavy. I remember crying out to God, "God I believe you can save, please help my unbelief that it is for me!" That night Bro mike preached on the woman with the alabaster box, the story I felt I was living. As he moved forward through the story, I felt myself taking the journey with her. From the moment they told Christ that she was not the manner of woman He should interact with, to her weeping at his feet and Him turning to her and saying, "Her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much.." Then, as He turned again to her and said, "thy faith has saved thee, go in peace" I broke inside. I found myself struggling so very hard to break the wall I had built between He and I. i wanted to be at his feet, I wanted Him! Mrs Dianna Robinson got up and sang the song Alabaster Box. There are words that say, "You weren't there the night He found me, you did not feel what I felt when He wrapped His loving arms around me.." It was when I heard those words, I broke through that wall and fell and wept at His feet. All i could say was Thank You God! And it was all that was needed. As those words flowed out, such relief and peace rushed in over my heart. 

The days following I asked God could it be? Could it be that He loved me? That He had dismissed every sin i had done? As i tried to think on those sins that I had buried, i found myself saying, "But those are no more!" It has been 14 months since God has saved me. I did not deserve an ounce of His love, but He gave it to me so freely. His grace guides me through my days and upholds me when I need it to. This was the short version. I would be more than happy to share my full testimony to whomever may be interested. You can contact me via email juliapressley@hotmail.com. 

Again I have to tell you how very much I love you all! I am so very blessed to hear of the wonderful working God is doing in your lives. I only can anticipate the day when I am able to see you my brothers and sister, and to be able to hug and rejoice with you! What a wonderful day that will be!

With all my heart,

Julie

³⁷ And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, ³⁸ And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. ⁴¹ There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. ⁴² And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? ⁴³ Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

⁴⁴ And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. ⁴⁵ Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. ⁴⁸ And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. ⁴⁹ And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.                                         

Luke 7:37-50

Reflections....

I've been looking back lately...5 years ago today i was such a different person...I thought I was going to make my own path in life...I was about to dive off the deep end into something I wasn't really ready for. And then 2 days later on April fool's that shattered in front of me, and what I thought was the end of the world was exactly what I needed. Exactly a year later I met someone who introduced me to the truth. Helped me see who I was...how lost I was. And then a year ago this week I was in such distress over where my life was...little did I know then that in about 2 & 1/2 weeks such peace would come...wonderful wonderful peace. I still don't know where my life will end up...but I do know that there is a plan for it. A perfect plan I am seeking out everyday. So blessed.

What a Wonderful Year!

2012 is a year I will never forget! It has been a year of ups and downs. I was looking back on some of my old FB posts from the start of the year and realized how lost I was. I still didn't understand why Tim & I had broken up, and I certainly did not believe that I was someone worth dying for. But in the beginning of April I became so unsatisfied with where my heart was and was so tired of head knowledge and just wanted heart knowledge! The wednesday before Easter God began really stirring in my heart telling me that despite what I believed, He had prepared a place for me at His table and He was wanting me to come and dine...a week and a half later I found myself at His table, weeping on His feet, thanking Him for loving me, and wanting me! He reached down and told me "My child, thy faith has saved thee, go in peace" and oh the peace that swept over me! So wonderful! (To read my full testimony see http://lost--but--searching.blogspot.com/2012/04/could-it-be.html )
The months after I could feel the struggles of life trying to break me down. But I held fast to God's promise that He was with me. There were times when I didn't know how I would make it but God provided the means where I thought it was not possible. He has been so good to me!
This year He was also so good to my church! He blessed us with property that is owned and paid for in full! We had a wonderful dedication service on it! I'm so excited to see the plans He has to unfold on it!
I finished school this year! I am now certified in Medical Administration and in Health Insurance Billing and Medical Coding! I am still looking for the job God has for me. Have yet to find it but I know its out there!
One major downside to my year was the loss of a dear friend. He chose to walk away and deny the truth that he brought me to. It broke my heart to see him walk away but it made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to be here! The way God brought me here was amazing! One student who was interested in his teachers words brought him to pioneer, then that student meeting me at work and inviting me to church with him. I miss him so much...I pray he returns.
But in the loss of a friend I have gained a new sister! To close out such a wonderful year God saved my "adopted little sister" and made her a real sister to me! Thank You God! I could not imagine a better way to close out the year!
This has been my year in short...I'm sure I left out a great deal but this seemed like a good start! What a wonderful year God has blessed me with! So looking forward to the years to come!!!!

To Whom Shall I Go

Bro Mike was preaching this morning from John 6. There was a couple of verses that I had heard several times but for the first time this morning I saw how I had lived it. In verses 67 & 68 it said,

"(67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" (68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." 

To whom shall I go. When I moved to Sweeny so many people told me why are you wasting your gas and making the long journey up there. You can just find a church here. The same with my situation now as I'm looking to move up there, after I find a job, people are asking the same thing. I told them because this is MY church. God put me there. On the inside I knew then and moreso now that there is no where here that I could go where I would hear the words that God had for me. It is here where the man that God had placed in my  life, my pastor, would seek the heart of God for His people and deliver the words God gave Him. It is here where I would find the words of eternal life God had for me. It is here where I found exactly that. So how could I leave this. I never could! Thank You God for opening my understanding even then to see that this was where I would find You! 

A Change of Direction

I can't believe how long it's been since I have written here. Have had a few thoughts but no time to express them. So let me see how well I can do to recall them.

There have been moments in the preaching when I have realized things that happened in my journey that I never realized were taking place. Let's take this past Sunday for instance. Bro Mike was preaching on repentance and how just as faith has Christ for its object, repentance has God for its object. He started talking about how some people think repentance means crying and being really sorry. But these things don't equal repentance. Now sorrow will accompany repentance, for Godly sorrow worketh repentance(2 Cor. 7:10), but repentance is not even sorrow. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of direction. He talked about how people have wrong thoughts about God. About how God is unfaithful to us, and how God doesn't really want to save us. That what we need to do is repent and change our thinking towards God. 

And this is where it hit me. I could see clearly that moment when my heart towards God turned. It was probably a couple of weeks before I got saved I was talking to Bro Mike. He asked me if I believed God was a saving God. I told him yes. He then proceeded to ask me then what was my hang up? I told him, I believed God was a saving God and could save the others around me, I just couldn't see that very same salvation for myself. I just couldn't see why God would want me. Bro Mike told me that in doing that I was calling God a liar. I grew up knowing that God was a God that could not lie (Titus 1:2), so for him to tell me I was calling God a liar shocked me. But not in an offensive way towards him, but in a way that I could not believe I could do this. But the more I looked at it over the next couple of weeks, the more I realized it was true. God had given me so many promises, none of which I truly believed. 

• Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it.."
• John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."\
• Hebrews 13:5 "...for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"
• Matthew 11:28 "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." 

These are just a few that He gave me. So many times He said, "I will...", and yet so many times I never took Him for His word. It hurt me that I hurt God by calling Him a liar. It hurt me to think that that's exactly what I was doing. 

It was a wonderful moment when my heart changed directions and turned towards God. When I thanked Him for His promises and repented for not believing them when He gave them to me. The joy that entered my heart and took place of the sorrow inside is hard to explain. Thank You God for such wonderful joy! Thank You God for Your wonderful promises unto me! Thank You God!

You Have Need of Patience....ALOT!

I had been looking forward to finishing school and for some reason thought that a job would come instantly afterwards. Boy, was I wrong. Here I am 2 months after school and no job. I keep wondering why. I know the quality of a worker I am and what I could offer to a company, but they don't, they won't even give me a chance to show it. (One thing I hate about internet applications, you get judged from a piece of paper) Not that I am gloating in myself, I just want to be given a chance. 

Hebrews 10:36 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."

I had my "plan". Complete School (√ ) Check. Find a job by no later than September - No check...and September is a week away!  But then this verse pops back up in my head and I hear inside, "You are in need of patience Julie" That is the part that I keep going over in my head, never stopping to ponder the rest of the verse...until recently. I have been so set on accomplishing my "plan" that I have never stopped to consider what God's plan might be for my life, what His will is. Yes, I am ready to be closer to my church family, but I have to believe that God has a reason for keeping me in Sweeny for right now. Patience was never a thing I acquired, and if I did it was in short supply. Maybe God is trying to teach me patience, I'm not really sure, but I know He has a plan for my life. God help me to discern Your plan for my life. God help me to have patience. God lead me to the right job so that when I get it it will be in a way that brings all glory to Your name! 

In This Massive Universe

Oh goodness...I can not even begin to tell you how amazing God is! I am just in awe of His majesty...and His mercy He has bestowed upon me! 

Bro Mike was preaching tonight from Psalm 113

1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

2  Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

3  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.

4  The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

5  Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

6  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

7  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

8  That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

9  He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

He presented this one illustration that just blew my mind and moved me to tears. (Though I’m not sure how well I will do at relaying it…The way he presented it was so much better lol)

Isaiah 66:1 - “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool…” Now just for a moment think about…the span of heaven and God says that is His throne and the earth is His footstool. Just to even try to fathom His majesty is mind blowing in itself. But then to think about how God looked through the massive span of the universe, through all the many galaxies it contains, and looked towards the Milky Way galaxy. Then He looked a little further into that galaxy at our solar system and towards earth. And on earth there are churches filled with His people and He looked on us and raised us up. Just to really think about that is amazing!

And then me…I can’t help but think about how he looked through the universe, through the Milky Way, to our solar system, at earth, in a little town called Sweeny, Tx. And directed the paths of my life to bring me to His preacher so that He could save me! Whoo…that is a wonderful thought! That He would look down and lift this needy soul up out of the dunghill! Oh thank You God! Thank You God! Thank You God! There is just so much Joy that just swells up inside of me when I think upon this! He is so worthy of all the praise of His Servants! Hallelujah!