VIDEOS: ENCOURAGING, INFORMATIONAL, AND INSPIRATIONAL

"THAT'S MY KING" by the late SM Lockridge (presented an incredible message, describing our God)




JESUS AMONG OTHER gods
9/9 Ravi Zacharias-
Ravi Zacharias is in my opinion one of the great minds of our time. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading Christian apologist. God has given him a great ability to articulate difficult concepts and provide concrete evidence for the defense of Christian truth.

I recommend you take the time to listen to the audio clip below, as Ravi shares the way God reached out and saved an ordinary Indian boy at the point of suicide, making him a child of God and using him as a tool to reach this blind world with the truth of the Gospel.
http://truthwar.wordpress.com/2007/11/20/testimony-of-ravi-zacharias-a-must-listen/

"The reality is that if religion is to be treated with intellectual respect, then it must stand the test of truth, regardless of the mood of the day. This book is a defense of the uniqueness of the Christian message."

Thus begins Ravi's most important work to date in which he contrasts the truth of Jesus Christ with the teachings of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

In Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi examines the truly unique message of Jesus in distinction to other major religions of the world. Is Jesus Christ really that different from other religious teachers? Aren't all the major religions basically the same? Ravi looks at six vital questions that Jesus answered in a way that no other claimant to divine or prophetic status would have answered. Some may resist Jesus' answers, but, as Ravi states, "antagonists will not be able to challenge his uniqueness."




This is a powerful and moving portrayal of the trials that befall us when we stray from the Lords side and how God's love (longsufferng...He longs for us to return) is faithful and victorious.

Lifehouse's song, "Everything"




An excerpt from C.S. Lewis' famous book, Mere Christianity. put together with various clips from Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"

"LORD, LIAR, OR LUNATIC"




Ravi Zacharias - CAN MAN LIVE WITHOUT GOD
1:10:09 - 1 year ago
Ravi Zacharias - Can Man Live Without God In Singapore




"TEAM HOYT" http://www.teamhoyt.com/about/index.html
The Early Years
Rick was born in 1962 to Dick and Judy Hoyt. As a result of oxygen deprivation to Rick's brain at the time of his birth, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. Dick and Judy were advised to institutionalize Rick because there was no chance of him recovering, and little hope for Rick to live a "normal" life. This was just the beginning of Dick and Judy's quest for Rick's inclusion in community, sports, education and one day, the workplace.

Dick and Judy soon realized that though Rick couldn't walk or speak; he was quite astute and his eyes would follow them around the room. They fought to integrate Rick into the public school system, pushing administrators to see beyond Rick's physical limitations. Dick and Judy would take Rick sledding and swimming, and even taught him the alphabet and basic words, like any other child. After providing concrete evidence of Rick's intellect and ability to learn like everyone else, Dick and Judy needed to find a way to help Rick communicate for himself. More...

The Beginning of Team Hoyt
In the spring of 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Far from being a long-distance runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles, coming in next to last. That night, Rick told his father, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped."

This realization was just the beginning of what would become over 1,000 races completed, including marathons, duathlons and triathlons (6 of them being Ironman competitions). Also adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3,735 miles in 45 days. More...






CARDBOARD TESTIMONIES from College Park Church

Cardboard Testimonies from College Park Church on Vimeo.

Life and Legacy of Rachel Joy Scott-





Rachel's Tears: 10 Years After Columbine...Rachel Scott Lives On
By Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott with Steve Rabey
Forward by Chuck Norris New!

"I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus . . . If I have to sacrifice everything . . . I will." –Rachel Scott

The Columbine tragedy in April 1999 pierced the heart of our country. We later learned that the teenage killers specifically targeted Rachel Scott and mocked her Christian faith on their chilling, homemade videotapes. Rachel Scott died for her faith. Now her parents talk about Rachel's life and how they have found meaning in their daughter's martyrdom in the aftermath of the school shooting. Rachel's Tears comes from a heartfelt need to celebrate this young girl's life, to work through the grief and the questions of a nation, and to comfort those who have been touched by violence in our schools today. Using excerpts and drawings from Rachel's own journals, her parents offer a spiritual perspective on the Columbine tragedy and provide a vision of hope for preventing youth violence across the nation.

The Waiting

Wow, we have less than 1 week before we go to see Dr. Hurry and have our ultrasound.  We'll be able to see if the baby God gave us is a boy or girl.  It has been a journey of praying lots to battle fear.  Fear- "What if there is no heartbeat?"    I can't see the lil' one or hear his or her heartbeat...nor am i sure if what I feel at times is the baby or my body gurgling, etc. :)

This has been a time of faith and has reaffirmed 2 things:  To pray and to not isolate but to be vulnerable re: these fears and share them with friends (so they can give me truth).

It is on my heart to really bathe this lil' one in extra prayer these days... to talk to the lil one more.  After talking with God about this it occurred to me that the miscarriage has caused me to be cautious about feeling too much.  It's amazing... but I can see how that has happened.  Can't wait for those walls to break down.  Gotta pray :)...

My hubby and I will post the news and pics after our appointment on March 3rd.  Can't wait... :)

Love you all!! Thank you for lifting us up!!
Merno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXCXEb1Qupg&feature=related

HE IS FAITHFUL (DEVOTIONAL)

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.

Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

This verse spoke to me today... :) With all of the distractions that come our way coupled with what feels to be a deep well of memories, words spoken, disappointments, joys, etc that we have stored up in our minds and hearts- it is amazing to me that I would even hear His still, small voice in my heart at all.   

Have you prayed for something and then didn't see your prayer answered in the WAY or in the TIMING that you had hoped?  I have.   

Have people let you down? ____  Have YOU let people down?  ____

Do we project what others have done (i.e., Moms, Dads, Mentors, Friends, etc.) upon God's character? ____  

(i.e., "I feel as though my parents are disappointed with me, thus God must be, too."  "This person failed to keep his or her promise.  Does God?")

God is not human but created us in His likeness... "likeness"- which means He made us unique compared to all of creation (even unique in comparison to the angels).  He gave us a spirit.  God is spirit.  

John 4:24
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

When we ask God to be our God and Jesus to live in our hearts- to know Him deeply, follow His voice and guidance, He answers.  Our asking this of God is prayer and it is putting our confidence and hope in Him.  "Jesus, I want to know you... I know I need you.  Please live in my heart and show me Who You are." (This is choosing Him)

Hebrews 6:18-20 (New Living Translation)

¹⁸ So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, **we who have fled to Him for refuge** can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that is before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

God is not human but He demonstrated His deep love for us but sending His Son from a place of security and love (Heaven- in the presence of God: John 17:3) to a place of physical and emotional pain.  Jesus left the loving presence of God to put on our skin and to be born into all that we are born into. He willingly left His power behind and learned how to walk, talk, and seek His Father's preseence in prayer.  He was tempted in ALL ways as we are (Hebrews 4:15) but he prayed and was able to hear God give Him the wisdom and strength and words/truth to not follow through with those temptations. Before His crucifixtion, He prayed to the point that he was sweating blood.  

Have you ever felt this kind of stress?  Definitely feels like it sometimes, I'm sure...     

Mark 14:35-37 (New Living Translation) ³⁵ He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. ³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

God, in His wisdom, knew that we needed to see Jesus show that He was fully human and fully God in this moment.  He asked for relief and for God to take away His suffering and change the plan.  Yet, He prayed... He connected with His Father's heart and felt His goodness.  Jesus saw our faces at the cross- reuniting with God.  God poured out comfort and courage to Jesus in that moment.  Jesus saw our faces when thinking upon the cross.  It gave Him JOY to see us reuniting with God and thus He went forward to the cross.  Jesus could have stopped it at any time, but YOU were and are worth it to Him.

Jesus demonstrated faithfulness to us... 2 Timothy 2:13 - if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.  We might drop the ball, lie to others or ourselves, etc.  BUT GOD NEVER DOES.  What He promises He fullfills.  He NEVER LIES to us or makes promises that He won't keep. We can hold onto that anchor of truth in our hearts to survive the waves of temptation to take things into our own hands (vs. talk with God and hope in Him).

"So," (you might be asking) "What are His promises?"

There are many... :) But, I'll share a few for you:  

When you choose Jesus (because He DESIRES- yes, God desires, ALL to know Him and to come to the saving knowledge of the truth) He gives you a piece of Himself...His Spirit...IN YOU (wow... ). He adopts you.  You are His forever.  In His care, you have every spirital blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1), you have eternal life (John 17:3),... In Him, He predenstined (planned for) you to know Christ's love deeply and to grow into the knowledge of Him more and more.  He also promised to never leave  you.  He doens't lie, remember.  Others might leave but God does not. 

Here is a list of other promises:  God always keeps his promises. It's in the Bible, II Corinthians 1:19-20, TLB. "[Jesus Christ] isn't one to say yes' when He means no.' He always does exactly what He says. He carries out and fulfills all of God's promises, no matter how many of them there are; and we have told everyone how faithful He is, giving glory to His name."

God never takes back or changes His promises. It's in the Bible, Psalm 89:34, TLB. "No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said."

None of God's promises ever fail. It's in the Bible, Joshua 23:14, NIV. "You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."

We have been promised eternal life. It's in the Bible, I John 2:25, NIV. "And this is what he promised us—even eternal life."

God can do the impossible. It's in the Bible, Luke 18:27, NIV. "Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'"

We have been promised new hearts and desires. It's in the Bible, Ezekiel 36:26, TLB. "And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love."

He has promised forgiveness. It's in the Bible, I John 1:9, NIV. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

He has promised the fruit of the Spirit. It's in the Bible, Galatians 5:22-23, NIV. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

He has promised deliverance from fear. It's in the Bible, Psalm 34:4, NIV. "I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears."

God has promised salvation for our children. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 49:25, NIV. "I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save."

We are promised the Holy Spirit. It's in the Bible, Luke 11:13, NIV. "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

All of our needs will be supplied. It's in the Bible, Philippians 4:19, NIV. "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

No good thing will be withheld. It's in the Bible, Psalm 84:11, TLB. "For Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk along his paths."

He has promised wisdom. It's in the Bible, James 1:5, NIV. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

God has promised peace. It's in the Bible, Isaiah 26:3, NIV. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You."

God has promised escape from temptation. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 10:13, NIV. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

We have the promise of health and healing. It's in the Bible, Jeremiah 30:17, NIV. "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds."

God has promised protection from harm and danger. It's in the Bible, Psalm 91:10, NIV. "Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent."

The Bible promises that the dead will live again. It's in the Bible, John 5:28-29, NIV. "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

Jesus has promised that he will come again. It's in the Bible, John 14:2-3, TLB. "There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am."

He has promised an end to death, sorrow, and pain. It's in the Bible, Revelation 21:4, NIV. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask... If I or someone else you know (who Loves Jesus) doesn't have the answer we'll pray and seek. Some answers we won't have until we see God face-to-face, but please ask... :)

Love,

Mer.

EXPECT GOD TO MOVE (DEVOTIONAL)

Good morning!! :)

Something jumped-out at me this morning when reading Genesis 48... This past month, when I read Genesis, I felt myself doing so in an academic way...hoping that my heart would engage and absorb new insights from above about God, life, life with Him, etc.  It was heavy on my heart to have it engage- to slow down and anticipate God to speak through something I had read.

Genesis 48:11 (New Living Translation)

¹¹ Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”

Jacob didn't expect to see his son, Joseph's, face again as Jacob thought Joseph was dead.  He later was reaquainted with His son- discovering that Joseph was indeed alive, well, and had children. THAT is how good God is...  God gave Jacob MORE THAN he had expected. :)  It connected another verse with my heart:

Ephesians 3:20 (English Standard Version)

 ²⁰Now to Him (God/Jesus) Who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

What do we expect of God?  Do we feel as if He is distant and not invovled/engaged with us?  To we feel as though we need to "take care of it (whatever "it" is) " for God?


"Now to HIM Who IS able..."  "IS" is a present-tense linking verb.  It connotates a sense a time as well as action.  God IS present as well as engaged and involved with you, me, us...


It all comes down, it seems :), to what we expect of God (which shows what our hearts think of His character).  Oswald Chambers does a brilliant "job" in expressing this:


Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen.Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our Hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us. Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified (God is growing you- giving you freedom from past constraints and helpling you know Him more). Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, "because you have kept My command to persevere-" ( Revelation 3:10 ).

All of us can say that it is a battle of trust and control.  If we fear and expect God not to come come through on His promise(s) to be with us, lead us, help us, etc then we take it all into our own hands.  God, in His love for us, allows us to do just that.  We can choose.  We're not puppets but valuable in His eyes- beyond what we can fathom.  Who wants to be controlled?  Not me :).  God doesn't control us... It's through seeking Him out and learning FIRST HAND that He is real, loves you/me/us, walks WITH us through the trials of life, and saves us from ourselves and the unseen (more than we realize) that we let go of our choice to control into His hands...one minute at a time, each day.

Today, let's ask God, "God, please help me see this (whatever is on your heart...) through your eyes.  Show me Your way and help me to know Jesus more."  As you pray this you will see Him move throughout your heart and your day.  If you want His leading, He will... He loves you.  We might fail, but He NEVER does... His wisdom sees so much more than our eyes and minds can comprehend.  God knows the desires of your heart - if that desire has not happened yet, then He is protecting you.  His timing is perfect.

Expect GREAT things from Him.  Expect God to move...  Ask.  :)

His,

Mer.

The First Year of Marriage and Beyond: Love, Comfort, and New Beginnings

Steve and I were married less than 2 months when we experienced our 1st tirp to the hospital:  I broke my arm catching a kickball. :(   We both learned a great deal about communication as well as recognizing that we are vulnerable/not invincible.  It was definitely a time of learning how to serve one another  in addition to sharing what we need.  When we married, I felt like a crazy woman trying to oganize my things as well as changing my name on important documents, etc.  Breaking my arm actually slowed me down a little bit! :)


 Less than two months after breaking my arm, and less than one month into a new school/work year, Steve and I found out that we were pregnant!!   When we saw that the pregnancy test was positive we held one another, laughed, and shared joyful tears.  


We were excited to share that time with close friends who were also pregnant at that timel:  Dreaming of our kiddos growing up together and becoming good friends in addition to sharing in the beginnings of parenthood with our friends.   


When our baby was 9 weeks old, we were blessed to have been given an early ultrasound.

My sister, Noelle, says that a lil baby at 9 weeks resembles a little Teddy Graham.  She's right!  :)  Our baby wiggled during the ultrasound causing us to cry in amazement and joy.  "Wow..."  We couldn't wait to show the pictures to family and friends.  


A few days went by and I/Mer started to not feel well... I had a fever and a cough that wouldn't ease up.  Due to pregnancy, I wasn't able to take anything for my cough or fever but drank lots of fluids and used cough drops. Looking back, I think that I went through 5 boxes of tissue, too. :)  A week later, Steve and I went to a bridal shower for two dear people. :) After the shower I remember feeling some slight muscle pulls down low in my abdomen. That evening, while at home relaxing with my hubby, I started spotting.  That was the first time and thus I was pretty concerned.  However, spotting is a common occurrence for many pregnant mommies and thus Steve and I prayed...deciding to not let worry reign in that moment.  An hour later, the spotting increased as well as became more red.  


We called the on-call Doctor-   she set up an ultrasound for me 2 days later (on Monday) as to give my heart reassurance.  From Midnight to 3am, I had terrible pains in my back and abdomen... I couldn't sleep and later noticed that the bleeding was heavy.  We called the Doctor back and then headed in to the ER at Clarian North at 4am.  Steve texted some family and friends to elicit prayer.  


After an I.V., a Rhogam shot, and lots of cramping, we were told that we had a 50/50 chance that the baby was alive and well.  Steve and I were sent back to a room where a gal was called in to give an ultrasound.  


It was comforting to realize that the technician and I both grew up in Anderson and had mutual friends through our years of swimming in high school.  Having that connection helped calm my heart.  As she showed the images on the screen I remember thinking, "I don't see the baby.  I'm not good at reading these and thus maybe I'm missing him or her."  My voice then became audible, "I don't see the baby."  


The ultrasound technician was limited in all that she was permitted to say and thus could only share what she  COULD see... helping us infer that our baby was no longer there.  Out of respect and care, the technician left Steve and I in the room together.  I went to the bathroom and couldn't help but let the flood gates (tears) open up.  Steve came in and held me...we both cried and cried.  All that we kept thinking of was our first ultrasound: seeing our baby wiggle.  


We left the hospital a few hours later, near 8am on November of 2008, and it was snowing.  God is so good... He knows that I love snow. He also knows that when it rains or snows it seems as if God is blessing those it falls upon.  Despite the physical and emotional pain that morning, God's presence was so evident. We felt so much love from God through our family, friends, and co-workers.  


My boss called me immediately when she saw my email on Sunday morning- encouraging  me to not come into work until I was ready.  She was a huge support!  Friends and family sent cards, flowers and meals.  Melody and Dylan, a couple who had suffered the same type of loss ~7-8 months prior, comforted Steve and I with the comfort God had given them. They not only gave us a basket with treats, a CD, and a book ("I'll hold you in Heaven" by Debbie Heydrick), but they called us and texted us often to make sure we were encouraged. 


2 Corinthians 1:4 - who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.


Steve and I both felt as if that time was more intimate that anything we had experienced to that point (i.e., our wedding day, etc).  Before the night of the miscarriage, Steve had a dream that we gave birth to a lil girl with dark, brown hair encircling a little red patch in the middle.  When he pulled her away from his chest to gaze upon her again he noticed that the baby he was holding was slightly older with lighter hair.  Per that dream, we feel strongly that God was telling us that we had a little girl.  When she came to my mind (which was often), I pictured a lil face that was as cute as a rosebud.  For that reason, we named her Rose Olivia. 





Before I went back to work I realized 2 things: (1). I really wanted to be a mom and (2). I could  then admit that my job was very stressful.  I loved my job but there was too much for one person to do and do to the desire of my heart.  Not wanting to make an emotional decision and let my job go without fervent prayer, Steve and I prayed and prayed.  By March, I sensed that God was encouraging me to let my job go.  It was a difficult decision but I felt a huge weight lift off of my shoulders.  Steve calmed my fears (of possibly putting more stress upon him finacially, etc) by showing his sincere support of this decision.  He is my biggest cheerleader!! :)


From April 2008 to April 2009, I had been growing my hair for locks of love.  I was so excited to not only donate my hair but to start a new season in life.  Not only did my head feel lighter but so did my heart.  It was the beginning a new journey- knowing that I was letting go of lots of stress and painful memories...

It was a bitter-sweet season... I was letting go of a job that I LOVED (my students, staff, and parents) but it was what I knew God wanted.  He wanted to lesson the stress in my life.  Steve and I also desired to add to our family again. Lessoning stress would hopefully assist. 


LOVE YOU, FOREST DALE ELEMENTARY!!!


Immediately after the school year came to a close, Steve was asked to be an Elder and Pastor for a church plant in Fishers, Indiana.  We were absolutely thrilled, humbled, and honored!!  We prayed about this part of our journey and realized that we needed to sell our home in Broad Ripple and move up to my old condo in Fishers.  Before our move in August, my sister-in-law, Kristin, and her husband, Clint, had their 2nd baby: Kelsey Rose.  She is a precious little girl who has brought such joy!!!

(Aimee and I show-off Kelsey)

Just before Kelsey's birth, my hubby had extensive ankle surgery.  Poor guy wasn't able to walk for 2-3 months but BOY did he enjoy that knee scooter!!  Especially when crusing around work (The VA Hospital) and grocery stores. :)  His ankle is as good as new and we are LOVING the church plant!!  www.lanternroad.com  We have developed such close friendships with those we see each week and feel so honored to be a part of their lives.  It's humbling to be able to serve the city of Fishers with these folks. 


The first year and a 1/2 of our marriage has brought us both joys and sorrows, but the sorrows only made joys that much richer... and brought us even closesr to God and to one another.  Thank you for reading this post... It was a long one!! :)


Much love,
Meridith




PS
Knowing that our baby is in Heaven and is with Jesus brings Steve and I immense Joy.  Although we felt the pain of loss on-and-off, we couldn't help but smile knowing where she is.  


One of the songs Melody gave us was Watermark's "Glory Baby."  I put the lyrics a the bottom of this blog along with a brief bio about Nathan and Christy Nockel's experience with miscarriage. 


Bio of Nathan and Christy Nockels:
Part of Watermark's appeal is their refusal to shy away from difficult topics. This trait was perhaps most pronounced on their sophomore effort, All Things New, released by Rocketown in 2000. The album features the song "Glory Baby," a reminiscence of the child Christy miscarried. The couple suffered a second miscarriage before the birth of their son Noah Luke in 2000. Christy speaks candidly, both musically and in interviews, of the pain she and Nathan endured and its effect on their faith. "We've experienced grief for the first time and learned about that process, but I think through grief, God just showed me some places in my life that I needed to surrender," she told the Christian Broadcasting Network's Lisa Ryan. "It was a really dark time, but at the same time it is strange because I look back on that and I remember that being a very spiritually enlightening, very bright, light time," Nathan recalled in the same interview. "I think it was because everything was stripped away, just like that, and there was nothing except for us and God." Christy feels it is important to share her tribulations with audiences: "A lot of brokenness and vulnerability comes through on our records and in our concerts. People can see that we're weak, we're not super Christians, and we don't have it all together but, thankfully, God uses us in spite of it."

Read more: http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608003761/Watermark.html#ixzz0dARr1N7V




Watermark's "Glory Baby"  (Nathan and Christy Nockels)
Glory baby you slipped away as fast as we could say baby…baby..
You were growing, what happened dear?
You disappeared on us baby…baby.. 

Heaven will hold you before we do
Heaven will keep you safe until we’re home with you…
Until we’re home with you…


Miss you everyday
Miss you in every way
But we know there’s a
day when we will hold you
We will hold you 

You’ll kiss our tears away
When we’re home to stay
Can’t wait for the day when we will see you
We will see you 

But baby let sweet Jesus hold you
‘till mom and dad can hold you…
You’ll just have heaven before we do
You’ll just have heaven before we do


Sweet little babies, it’s hard to
understand it ‘cause we’re hurting
We are hurting 

But there is healing
And we know we’re stronger people through the growing
And in knowing- 

That all things work together for our good
And God works His purposes just like He said He would…
Just like He said He would…


BRIDGE:
I can’t imagine heaven’s lullabies
and what they must sound like
But I will rest in knowing, heaven is your home
And it’s all you’ll ever know…all you’ll ever know…

"This Is Really Happening!"

December 24th, 2007. I drove over to Steve's home so that we could go to the Christmas Eve service together at Common Ground. I knocked on the door only to get a glimpse of him through the blinds. It caught my eye that he didn't have a shirt on...!  He opened the door only so slightly...I couldn't see anything but his face.  He then asked if it would be ok if I waited in the car for him.  Not thinking anything of it, I waited in the car and sang songs along with the radio.  He walked out and got into the car and apologized... Again, I didn't think anything about it. He then called a close friend on our way to church only to hear his friend say, via speaker phone, "Have you asked her yet? Are you engaged?"  Once AGAIN, it didn't register. I knew that many were asking Steve the same question but I didn't think that anyone knew the timing in which he woudl ask me. It was hilarious looking back at these events!

The service was wonderful!  Christmas Eve has always been one of, if not THE favorite day/night of the year for me. So reverant... Steve and I were getting ready to leave Common Ground when all of a sudden something paranormal happened :) -  Steve had his cellphone out and was texting.  At this time in our relationship, Steve rarely carried his cellphone anywhere outside of his car, nonetheless texted. This DID strick me as unusual, but AGAIN...I didn't think much else of it.

As walked out of church, Steve shared with me that we needed to run to the store to get some cinnamon rolls for the Christmas morning breakfast at his family's home in Franklin.  We ran to Walgreen's, the only store open at the time, and bought 9 Hostess Honeybuns!! NINE!! As we walked out of the 62nd Street and Keystone Walgreen's Steve is blowin'-up his phone (texting) again.  "Hmmmmm."

We pulled-up to his house and sat in the car listening to a song that we both loved... As I was getting out I looked down at my feet and saw some red cranberry-looking things.... "What are those from?" I thought...

As he opened the door to his home I saw ~200 tealights glowing around the room.  Two thoughts came to my mind"  "Is this really happening?" and "How long have these been lit?! That could have started a fire!"

We sat down on the couch and in my view were 20 tealights, a cranberry wreath bordering the table ("THAT'S where those cranberries came from- on the floor of the car!"), two glasses of red wine, 5 ring boxes, and a Bible.  I was pretty intrigued seeing 5 ring boxes... Curious, to say the least.

Steve picked-up the 1st box on the far left. Inside was a gray, jaged rock.  Steve then shared the story and process of how he prayed for this event... He had driven up to my home in Anderson, where I was born and raised.  He sat in his car outside our home and prayed for a few minutes and then got out of his car. He found a rock in the driveway and upon holding it   God told Steve's heart that the rock represnted where my journey of faith began. Although rough and jaged, it was the beginninig.

Following the trek to Anderson, Steve then drove 2 1/2 hours down to Bloomington...visiting the Pi Beta Phi house (where I lived during my 4 years at IU). He found a rock and prayed.  This rock was interestingly enough shaped like an arrow.  God shared that this was where He gave me what my heart thought it wanted...but that those things just pointed me toward Him even more.

The 3rd and final trip was to Indiana State- to where I lived during Graduate school (2001-2003).  Again Steve prayed and found a rock (it was dark in color and very smooth to the touch).  He sensed God was saying that this was a season in my/Mer's life where lots of painful events had refined/smoothed me down. It was where my faith in Him/God really grew.

Steve had each rock in it's own box.  The 4th rock was given to me at a women's Bible study and it said, "Princess." God was telling me that He saw me as a Princess. When you feel really low about yourself, those words really touch your heart.   As you can guess, the 5th and final box was the ring.  He placed it on my hand and asked me if I would marry him.  Immediately following this proposal, Steve read a verse from my favorite book: Ruth.

Ruth 1:16-18 "But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."

I realized later that Steve was texing Scott and Whitney Saucedo as to let them know that we were on our way... The "Sauces" lit all of the candles for us! (Thanks, Scott and Whit!)  The reason why Steve had his shirt off when I answered the door earlier in the evening was because he was lighting the candles around the living room- seeing how long it would take (giving it a trial run).

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.


I didn't think I was worthy to be loved like God loves me... and certainly didn't think a man would love me as my heart desired.  Yet, God knew these desires and encouraged me to wait/trust/hope in Him.  Steve was/is worth the wait.  


Isaiah 54:5
"For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.


God will always be my everything... I can only be the wife that Steve deserves by God's grace and with His help, daily. 

How I Met My Husband

Sounds like a TV show ("How I Met My Husband").
Well, here it goes... :)

When I was young, I could sense God's love and feel that He was near. He was a Father, a Friend, and a safe place. I knew Jesus was/is the Son of God and I had reverence in my heart for Jesus...but had a question inside that caused me to ask God how we (His creation) are different from Jesus ("God, aren't we your children, too?"). As always, God was faithful to asnwer. His timing was and is perfect. My testimony is one I share when able but I'll spare you that (can get a lil long-winded) as it's best when shared in-person. So, to make a long story shorter, :) God showed who Jesus is and my need for Him through studying the Bible with friends from a local church. I couldn't get enough of reading about Him...at Borders, Barnes, and Starbucks...my Bible and I were pretty much married with a cup of coffee for hours each day. You should have seen the coffee stains on the pages.

It was then that I realized that I needed and desired to marry a man who loved God, too. To share this with my future husband was so important to my heart: to pray with Him and to encourage one another regarding faith, and to love others with that same love. What was an interesting twist was that I was content in my singlehood. As much as I longed to marry a man who would pray with me and love God more than he loved me, I felt pretty fulfilled with the friendships I had and being an aunt (who adores her niece and nephews).

Deep insdie I wanted to know that I was worthy of being loved by a man. To fully know that he loved me for me and wanted to walk through the growing pains of life by my side. One of my dear friends prayed a couple years ago that God would bring a man into my life that would help me love God more...better as a couple...than I/we could apart from one another. That prayer resignated loudly within.

It was not long afterwards that a co-worker approached me at work and shared that she wanted to fix me up with someone. She said that he was super fun and had a great personality. I was open to this but really needed to know if he had a heart for God. That's an awkward thing to ask...:) What I felt come out of my mouth was this: "My prayer is that I'll marry a man who will go on missions trips with me." In response to this she said, "Well, THAT'S like 1% of the population." "True," I thought to myself. But as I left the room I remember saying to God, "God, You can do anything."

A month later in May of 2007, Steve asked me out. :)

We first met in the fall of 2006 at my job as a Speech Therapist. I loved my job!! In addition to helping kiddos with their communication, I also dressed up as a Granny once a week to teach idioms to the whole school. Doing the worm was included in this endeavor. It was a blast! My best friend, Nicky, had known Steve for many years and they were/are very good friends. He came by to visit Nicky and met me in my Granny outfit while at school/work. Yep, our 1st meeting was him in scrubs (physical therapist) and I in a granny wig and outfit. My first thought about Steve at this point was, "Wow, he's really tall!" No pun intended, but tall men didn't stand out to me...it was just a factual statement that came to mind.

We then crossed paths at Nicky's birthday party which was a really hard night for me. I was feeling really down and wasn't able to stay very long... Yet, he took the initiative to walk up and say, "hi" to me. I only knew 3 of the 25 people there; thus, that simple greeting really helped me feel more at home. I remember thinking, "He is so nice!!"

The 3rd time we met, our Bible studies had merged for a dinner-night. I wasn't wearing any make-up and was wearing my new retainer. Talk about feeling gorgeous. :) He introduced himself to the group via an hilarious joke and then taught a lesson. My thoughts that night were: "He has a great sense of humor!" and "He is so atractive to me- leading and teaching about God."

The 4th time we met, I went to me some friends at Steve's house to watch the NCAA Basketball championships (Florida vs. Ohio State). I was drinking a RockStar and was super hyper. Not only was I making sound effects each time when Noah scored but I was laughing and doing wheel barrels up his stairs with Cari. I was a lil much to handle.

In late April of 2007, I had just moved into a condo I bought (my 1st home purchase) and thought it would be fun to meet some friends to play some games. Cari and I were playing Euker and noticed that Steve and a friend of his wanted to join in. We played for 3 HOURS!! Steve claims to this day that they stole the deal from us several times and lost of purpose just so they could say, "Rubber Match!" Needless to say, I found myself thinking, "He's so much fun!!"

That week Steve emailed me asking if I'd want to throw the frisbee sometime in efforts to practice for our Ultimate Frisbee league. We met up on May 5th and had a blast talking about faith, life, and tossing the disc around Fishers Park. He later helped my famly and I move furniture from my Dad's home. "What a guy!!" I knew he was special and was curious as to find out more about this Steve Black. So glad that I did!!

Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
Quote: "Steve, I think that it would be easier being single and in the missions field than dating (anyone)."

We started dating and were sharing lots about our hearts/faith, our pasts, hobbies, and dreams. Yet, it wasn't long before I questioned why he was sticking-around and pursuing me. "Why would he still want to date me knowing me this well... I get moody, too." I found that it was easier to hide those areas that needed growth and healing. After all, don't we have to wear a mask in order to be what someone else wants? "Why is he sticking around?" My trust for men was a lil low and thus I was afraid that I'd lose my mystery and be cast aside. BUT, Steve had a heart in him that God had been molding enabling him to hang-in-there through it all. Iron sharpens iron- we definitely prayed and relied on God during our dating. Six months later, Steve proposed and I found my heart taking a deep sigh... "I can be me. He loves me for me."

Since this is pretty long already, :) I'll write another blog regarding the engagement. Yet, this is how I met my hubby... I'm a blessed gal!!

Sincerely,
Mer