I had another opportunity this past week to give my response to the elders newly released statement apologizing to the women who came forth with the allegations to CBS channel 2 news.

After fervent prayer and getting past the fear of my words being twisted, I felt God speak into my heart if you won’t speak about the work I am doing in this situation, then who will?

In a world full of cold judgment, animosity, unforgiveness, mercilessness and lack of empathy, God wanted me to give his perspective on a little something He calls Grace.

 

It is so easy to get caught up in the schemes of the enemy, why do we put so much focus and emphasis on the works of the enemy.  I guess he is the master of distraction.

 

Why don’t we take our eyes off our circumstances and direct them up to the one who is in control and bigger than any distraction?

 

God is at work in this situation, it is what he showed me in my heart.  He reminded me of the restoration he has done in my life as it relates to the important men in  my life who hurt me dearly.  He showed me how he is the author of restoration and he is writing a story with this situation at Willowcreek.

 

No one knows what happened, it’s between God, the women, and Bill. We can simply see there is a lot of hurt as a result of this situation on both sides.  I continue to pray for healing in everyone’s hearts.

 

I believe God will continue to lead Willowcreek’s elders by giving them a vision of His heart and will for this situation.  After the first taping about this situation a few weeks back God placed in my heart that he would make beauty out of ashes.  I can already see his work happening.

 

The church elders continued to go into prayer after their initial reaction to the women going to the press about Bill.  They felt lead to truly seek God in this situation, they could have simply left it as it was, but they continued to pray.  It takes a lot to do something like this, it takes Christlike leadership to get past your own points of views and feelings about a situation. To let go of your personal prejudices and just let God show you His heart.  I know because the important men who hurt me in my life, after much prayer, God showed me their hearts and his will for my life.

 

It takes humility, to say you were wrong.  I admire the church leaders for having the courage to say they were wrong.  I respect them for being very transparent about their initial reaction and how they are in a place to hear from the women respectfully.

 

Grace covers you and me.  No one is perfect.  Praise God that he always extends his Grace to both you and I.  Life is not perfect and it gets messy.  We all fall short of the glory of God. It would be great to see Christians come together in the sight of opposition, instead of splitting into sides.  It would be great if we could all look up to God and see what he is doing and trust that He is in control.  Let’s not give the enemy anymore of our time or effort paying attention to the distractions he is placing in front of us.

 

Lastly, I wanted to say a prayer for all those hurting as a result of this situation, the women and Bill, his family and the church.  I pray that all the hurt that everyone has experienced will be fully healed and restored in their hearts.  Pain is real, I don’t discount that at all. I spent 30 years of my life living in deep pain as it relates to the important men in my life.  I know it cuts like a knife. However being on the other side of God’s healing power, I know God is a God of restoration.  He will fully restore what is taken from us if we just submit to him and allow him to work in us.  God let me know Jesus didn’t die on that cross for me to live in a state less than what he created me. Nothing no human did to me defined me, He does.  I am forever grateful that I allowed God to work through the pain.  It was not an easy process and it took many many years.

 

 

 

 

Love in Abundance,

 

Jamie

 

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