Fire Bug!

I can't even believe I'm about to tell you this story...

When I was 6 years old, my Grandma Jessie had gotten new living room furniture and new carpeting. Naturally, because it was new she put 1970's-style slip covers over this beautiful furniture....fringed at the bottom and everything! It was NICE!

So one day, 6 year old me was home watching tv alone in the living room, mindlessly playing with the fringe along the bottom of the slip cover, when I noticed that some of the fringes were connected together. For some reason this bothered me A LOT. Luckily there was a box of matches sitting on the end table and I got a brilliant idea!! If I ran a match through the fringe, it would separate and everything would be alright in the world! So I did it. AND IT WORKED!! Naturally I ran a match through a few more fringes to separate those too. Man, that was fun. 

Of course, I quickly got bored with that game and and went into the kitchen to get some water. And when I came back into the living room the entire side of my grandmother's armchair was ON FIRE!!! 

PANIC!

I ran into the kitchen and turned the faucet on full blast and stuck my cup underneath the tap. When I pulled the cup back from the tap, it was nearly empty!! That was my first lesson in aquatic thermodynamics or physics or whatever! Because fast running water doesn't fill up a small cup at all!!

PANIC!

I screamed and my Uncle Louie came running down the stairs, flipped over the chair to put out the fire, which also happened to burn the new carpet at the same time. Did I mention I was in a state of 

PANIC!

Thank the Lord above, tragedy was averted. Uncle Louie saved my little life and apparently neither my grandparents or my parents killed me because I am here to tell the tale. I have no idea how I survived. I don't even think I got a whoopin' or anything, or maybe my poor little brain chooses not to remember it. I did get a new nickname, as everyone called me Fire Bug for the longest time after. 

That tiny flame on the end of that small matchstick taught me a valuable lesson about the power of fire. What starts out as a small spark can become a raging inferno in just a matter of seconds. 

Recently a dear friend of my mine had an awesome life altering tried-and-true-you-won't-believe-what-just-happened-to-me experience with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It's not my story to tell, but trust me, it is an amazing awe-inspiring testimony.

And in the sharing of the story with me, I found myself overwhelmed with joy and overflowing with tears. 

I want to back up just a minute because a week or so ago I prayed to God about a lack of passion I was feeling. I acknowledged that I knew I wasn't on my game as far as how I study, pray, worship etc. I wanted to feel that excited drive to get to know Him as I once had. I felt as though I had once been a beautiful, vibrant and colorful tree, but had just dried up into a piece of old timber.

So as my friend is sharing with me, something was ignited and I begin to minister, to relate my experiences, to give scriptural references that would help bring clarity to the situation. And by sharing and talking for hours and hours and hours, a flame was struck in my spirit. 

A spark of Holy Ghost fire brushed up again my raggedy old dried up timber spirit and it erupted in raging fire.  I was reminded of what was already deep down inside of me; reminded of the truth that existed within.

We agreed to pray and read and study together. To feed this hunger to get to know Him together. Each one's flame feeding the other person fire. Together. 

What an amazing experience about the power of God to use anyone and anything to give us what we ask for, when we seek Him Only. 

The challenge is to keep the fire burning, like the priests of old who were commanded "The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out." Leviticus 6:13

I pray that you find yourself near a spark of Holy Spirit and that you ignite your passion, your purpose and your hunger for Him all over again. 

In love,
Mona