Hives & Blessings

I am sure for most hives and blessings don’t necessary go together (for those that don't know they itch, they burn and they are ugly red patches on your skin... eyelids really hurt with hives on them!), and until yesterday I would have agreed. Yesterday I had a major allergic reaction to some facial moisturizer and had to be treated at the ER… shots and all that not so nice stuff! I have hives all over my face and it is not a pretty site… thank GOD they at least don’t itch anymore! I was saddened that I missed what I hear was a HOUSE ROCKIN good time at church yesterday morning and I missed seeing someone who is dear to me who attended for the first time in a long time. Needless to say I was feeling a little sorry for myself that I had been cheated out of the good time that morning and I was even more upset that I probably would not be able to attend a little get together at a place that ministers to women who are trying to put their lives back together after addiction and jail. I mean really…. I thought nobody wants to see this face all messed up and I would probably scare someone. But that still small voice in my heart started speaking… “nora the enemy didn’t rise up to steal a blessing from you this morning as you thought… the blessing I have for you is at that house with those women who have scars inside that are way more scary than your face. They won’t care if you don’t.” WOW you talk about conviction with a capital C! I freely admit how ashamed I was in that moment… I was so wrapped in me! I went, hives and all… and oh how blessed I felt meeting these beautiful daughters of FATHER GOD! Their courage to step up and be accountable, their willingness to expose their hearts and scares so that they can get well and be the mothers and women GOD always intended them to be! The very presence of GOD filled the house as we got to hear a small part of a testimony from one of the ladies! We came to be blessings and instead we were blessed! Several ladies from our church did a prayer walk around the house…and GOD blessed me in ways I still can’t articulate! It completely blows my mind that HE shares these things with me and others…. It totally messes me up that not only does HE share it with us… HE invites us to participate with HIM and be HIS hands and feet here! MY GOD how humbled I am before YOU! Forgive me FATHER GOD that it took some itchy, burning patches on my vain face to see YOU at work! There is a song by Brandon Heath that so speaks to my heart... Give Me Your Eyes Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram I love the chorus... ..."Give me your eyes for just one second Give me your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me your love for humanity Give me your arms for the broken hearted The ones that are far beyond my reach Give me you heart for the ones forgotten Give me your eyes so I can see Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" Yeah, FATHER give me YOUR eyes... Yeah!