Clapping for Him

Yesterday i woke up beside my sister... i missed that. I got ready pretty fast and ran upstairs, then a family prayer to top off the morning at the house. We drove to the church on this cold Sunday and upon arrival my smile couldn't be contained. Corner instructional and prayer with hands held. Then we sat, a group of people i love so dearly. So many people had come and with each one that entered the door my smile and my nerves became bigger. Then the time came where i "pounded it," stood up and walked to the door. Behind that door i walked back and forth and tried to compose myself before going into the water... my friend was making it difficult. My turn. I took a step into that warm water with my smiling youth pastor awaiting me. Through the nerves and the shaky voice i made my way through my testimony. Then it was time i grabbed hold of my youth pastors arm and he lead me under the water. When i arose everyone was clapping but they weren't clapping for me they were clapping for Christ. They were clapping for Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, they were clapping for his righteousness and His glory and His power and His worthiness and His all consuming love and His mercy and for His radiating spirit. They i ran through freezing air with wet hair. I got dressed in warm dry clothes and smiled as i ran in heels to get back to the church to see my best friend and my brother, respectively, get baptized just like i had done just a few minutes before. And with ragged breath that is exactly what i did. After praising God once more [ i could have gone for hours] i ran to the people i love. So many hugs i gave and received. A face i hadn't seen in a while made my heart grow even larger [ i didn't think it was possible]. The whole morning was full of big smiles and even bigger hugs. And then i hugged her and i didn't want to let go...cause she makes me happy and i love her and she was partly the reason i was wet that morning. But as i let go and we separated for the moment i saw a group of friends that i seriously could spend every day with. I talked and laughed and glanced and smiled even bigger and wish that we would have stayed all together right there forever. But we all had to leave sooner than later and the sooner came a little to quick for my liking. As i said my goodbyes and rushed around and said this to that person and that to this person i was happy...completely happy. The day didn't end there... in the next hour or two i was back with a friend...talking, drinking coffee, wink winking, almost falling asleep on a couch at starbies, making a completely stupid and random video that is seriously hilarious and then joining back with those people that i could spend every day with. We sat in a circle of girls and let the boys play football and we sat on our side and we praised truly praised The Holy One, and we listened and we praised again. And guess what the night wasn't over there! We joined back [ well i wasn't supposed to but that's okay] at "my family's" place and just had a wonderful time in fellowship with each other and jumped on a trampoline when the air around us was freezing our lungs whenever we laughed and we just enjoyed being with the people we love. What an amazing day with amazing prospects for the week? And maybe i'll get to spend some time with her this week...

Praise be to God for such an amazing day declaring my love for Him.

Steph