All of Me...

The girls and I spent our morning off together at the movies watching the movie Sing. It was a very cute movie and such a nice chance to get away from everything with my kids. Sitting in a dark movie theater, it's the perfect time to just sit and think about nothing. Just enjoy a nice movie and enjoy the time away from it all. Except today, my mind was a million miles away from the movie theater as I thought and prayed and wondered about my friends who I knew had such a difficult night. My attention was torn between this cute movie and the six-year-old next to me asking a million questions like she always does during movies, and thoughts of my friends, weary and exhausted and being tormented by demons and difficulties and not feeling well.

As the movie played on the screen, my attention was being drawn towards the voice of Father God in my head, whispering messages for myself and for my friend. I was bringing my phone out occasionally to take notes on what I was thinking and hearing and needing to pass on, and also watching the scenes unfold on the giant screen in front of me. Gorillas planning a heist mixed in with words of being a woman of strength. A porcupine playing the guitar flashed across the screen just as I heard word of reading a passage out of 1 Samuel. The Bible in my vision flipped to Matthew just as a pig made plans to streamline her day.

The conversation with God started off on a message about being strong in the Lord, being a strong team and a strong union for Him and His glory. That the latest difficulties and setbacks we are experiencing are nothing for Him. We just need to obey Him and persevere and keep our eyes focused on our Lord and Savior.

Then, the gorilla on the screen began playing John Legend's song "All of Me". And tears welled in my eyes. All of me. Father God, I commit to you with all of me. In order to walk with Our Father and to remain faithful to Him, I commit to Him body, mind, spirit, and soul. He is the author and perfecter of my faith. He is the one that is omniscient and knows exactly the plans He has for me in my life. All of me.

I am not a perfect person by any means, but when it comes to friends and people, I am fiercely loyal. I tend to have just a handful of really close friends that I share with, and I cling to and treasure those friendships and relationships with my whole being. I have had the honor of walking through this part of my life with my friend Melody. What started out as a work relationship where I was intimidated by her expansive knowledge and no nonsense attitude around the special education meeting table we often shared soon turned into a bonded friendship that I wouldn't know what to do without her. And just a couple short years ago (I can't believe it's been years! Where does the time go?) we escalated our friendship even higher when we became prayer partners as well. Sharing God in our relationship has further bonded us on Christian love and respect for each other.  When things in our lives come up, where there used to be panicked tears and clinging to each other, we are getting better about turning it into prayer and turning it over to God. The basis for our relationship is prayer and faith and hope and peace and love. We have committed to praying together, taking communion together, reading devotions together, sharing our faith with each other. And the outcome has been incredible.

All of me. I commit to my bestie and prayer partner with all of me on this path and on this journey called life. Because being with her and being her prayer partner keeps me faithful and keeps my eyes on the important things in this life. Like Father God. Committing all of me to God, and also including Melody in that plan as my prayer partner, has deepened my faith to a level I have never experienced. When panic and heartache and difficulties set in, I have a different reaction than I used to. I would be riddled with anxiety and a wreck before too long. Now? I might have a quick anxious, panicked moment and then I realize that the God that I serve is so much bigger than anything I am going through. Anything I am experiencing. And in my feeling unbalanced and unsure and worried, I listen for His still voice because He'll be there. I just need to be still and listen for Him. And in the moments that I need some backup or extra reassurance, I turn to my friend and prayer partner, Melody. She reminds me that I am a daughter of the King. She reminds me that I am strong in the Lord. She reminds me that rather than throw words of anxiety and panic into the universe I simply need to turn to God in prayer. And we walk through those moments together.

We speak often about how God is all you need. Father God is the sole person that you need when walking through this life. He wants and needs all of me. All of my heart. All of my prayers. But, he gives us earthly companions to walk this journey with us and to remind us that He is with us and He has us in the palm of His hands. I have Melody. She is my person. My friend. My confidant. My prayer partner.

We all need a person. We all need someone who will prod us back on course when we are wandering aimlessly. We need someone who will drop to their knees and pray when the going gets rough. We all need a connection with someone who is there for us, and will remind us how amazing we are, and who is in charge and what our plan and purpose is. How blessed I am to have someone who is willing to give their all to me, and who I can give my all back! God and me and the best prayer partner ever. Find yours! Make that connection with someone! Give all of yourself to our Father, but also find someone to give your all to on this journey on earth.

Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." God is in the midst of prayer partners. He there when you're alone also, but when there is more than one believer gathers together, amazing things can happen! Melody and I have seen amazing things together on this journey! And we are faithful that even more amazing things are coming! We just need to be still, know that God is with us, and give all of ourselves to Him.

All of me. I give all of me to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I give all of me to the prayer and faith and hope and peace and love that surrounds my prayer partner and me. We were created for such a time as this, and great things happen when we are gathered in His name! Find your person! Find your prayer partner! Find the one that you want to walk through this crazy life with!

May God bless you on that journey, and may you find all of yourself on that journey! It's an amazing powerful path! And all of me is in for the ride!