Euchristeo

 It amazes me how God give you what you need, sometimes before you know you need it, sometimes right as you need it. My mom has been an instrument in getting me what I needed recently, and she probably doesn't even know it. After my second post she asked if I was reading my cousin's blog. I didn't realize she had one, so I went over and read it, and goodness me. We are struggling with a lot of the same issues. And we've grown apart over the last 15 years. And now, we're growing closer together, even though we are miles and miles apart. We've decided to be accountability partners, and boy do I need it. I need help to continue in my spiritual growth and who better to help support me then family? I guess I'm also holding myself accountable to spiritual growth by making all of this public. I'm trying to be faithful. I believe that as crazy as it might sound, that God wants (wanted) me to write those posts. Specifically the earlier ones.
 Anyway, we've written goals for spiritual and physical health since we've both come to realize how interconnected they are. It is hard to feel good when you are lagging spiritually, and it is hard to feel bad when your blessed with a personal relationship with the living God. One of my goals revolves around reading, studying and being quiet with God. And that's another place where my mom comes in. She gave me this wonderful book that I started to read today. It is called "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. And it is just what I needed to read. Right when I needed to read it. If I read it a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have been ready to hear the message. I wouldn't have been ready to take up the challenge--accept her dare. Now I'm only a couple of chapters in, but what a story this woman has.

She wrote about this bible verse and it has totally and completely resonated with me.

1 Corinthians 2:7

We declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

it goes on in verse 9 to say:
"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" the things God has prepared for hose who love him (vs 10) these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

And isn't that what I have been feeling in church? That it isn't my time, my wants, but His. His plan. I CANNOT CONCEIVE what He has in store for me, for my son, for my future Children. But what he has already revealed, by His spirit.

In her book she also discusses the Eucharist. She takes it back to the greek Euchristeo, and breaks the meaning of the word into grace (Charis), thanksgiving (Euchristeo) and joy (Chara). What she is saying is that with thanksgiving we are given grace and find joy. And then I read this profound statement. I was so profound to me that I typed it into my phone's memo list because I couldn't find pen or paper.

"Euchristeo (thanksgiving) always precedes the miracles"

Wow. I was given peace. I am always continuing to be thankful, and I get to experience joy. And I'm going to keep working on being thankful, for everything that I have, even if it is the pain and the heartache that this world has delivered to my door. And I'm going to wait to see the miracle.