I've always been scared that my testimony wasn't something that people would want to hear. After all, I was raised in a Christian home by Christian parents (who are STILL married to each other). I started going to church about 9 months before I was born. We went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. I was saved in my living room with my parents and pastor when I was 9 year old and was baptized February 1, 1991. I sang in the youth choir, did backyard bible clubs in the summer, and went on all the youth retreats. I had read the bible through several times (with the exception of Numbers…..HA) and knew all the bible stories and how they were supposed to relate to my daily life. When I was in the 7th grade I felt that God was calling me to full time ministry. At the time I couldn’t understand what that meant and was terrified of saying the words out loud. One Wednesday night I sat down at the church secretary’s desk and poured out my heart in a letter to my youth pastor. He assured me that he would pray with me about what that call would mean in my life.
Five years later, due to a series of not so good judgment calls my brother became in a lot of trouble with the law. Rumors spread fast, and it seemed that the people of our church weren't equipped to minister to us through this time in our lives. We began to search for a new church home and found one at First Baptist of Parker in Panama City. I was in the 10th grade at the time and several of these people went to school with me. It was at this point that God changed my life!
He started to use people that were close to Him to draw me into what it REALLY meant to be a Christian. Emily Strickland (Fidler) showed me what a woman of grace truly is, and what it means to have a heart like his. (You can read her “confessions from the Laundry Room” here) Justin Nale taught me to respect scripture in its entirety (Yes, I read Numbers) because even in the things that seem meaningless God is there. Tasha Walker (Clark) taught me the importance of crying out to God and seeking Him with all my heart, just as Jeremiah 29:13 says. Sam Forbes has shown me that our lives are not a waste, and that regardless of where we find ourselves all we have to do is that ONE step back! God then led me to my husband, who inspires and challenges me every day. He keeps me on my toes about not only scripture, but about the history that explains why God had to do things in a specific manor at a specific time. Through him I've learned that the scripture that is relevant to me today was written to be relevant to someone 2000 years ago.
These people have fueled my passion for seeking God and what he has for me. They have showed me what it means to trust fully in him, a habit that I am slowly but surely forming. They have been my mentors without even knowing it. Because of God's impact on their lives I have had the strength to turn to Him in the darkest moments in my own. He is using the most horrible times in my life to teach me new things to transform me into the woman that he desires me to be.
He speaks to me daily through His word and His person about what he wants me to do and where He wants me to go.
The only way that I will ever become remotely close to returning the favor of all his gifts….is obedience.
I have worried and cried and worried and cried over the intense changes that I KNOW will be taking place in my life. But God, in his infinite kindness, knows exactly the word that I will need exactly when I will need it.
A word on the radio encouraging listeners to “Go!” A verse in a daily devotion that was published in 2003. A note from my sweet sweet husband encouraging me to “pray without ceasing.”
Philippians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Introducing...
The Thomas Family
Est. 2000
Mark was born in 1979. His father was military so he spent a good bit of his life moving. He started in Colorado, moved to California, was in Germany for 6 years, then to Virginia for 6 years, Panama, Central America for 6 years, and finally landed in Panama City, Florida. He started school at Rutherford High School in September of 1996….and that’s where the story begins. He was active in band and that’s where they met.
Kim was born in 1981. When she was 2 years old her family moved to Panama City, Florida. In the fall of 1995 she started high school at Rutherford High School. In January of 1996 she took up clarinet and joined the band.
Rutherford had an amazing football team, which is just another way to say that they played football until right before Christmas. The good thing about a great football team is that when they get into the playoffs the band got to ride charter busses rather than the standard “cheese wagons.”
This is where the story really takes off. It was winter of 1996. She was sick as a dog and had gotten lucky enough to get 2 seats to herself. It just didn’t last for long. Because just a few minutes into the trip back home a tall boy with brown hair invaded her bubble so that he could sit closer to his friend across the aisle. And so it began.
She pined after him for 2 ½ years. She told everyone that would listen that he was IT and that she would marry him one day. Because they had mutual friends they began to hang out more and more. They became best friends. That was about to change.
In April of 1999 something happened. He finally saw her as more than just a friend. At a movie that night he became affectionate. He put his arm around her during the movie and held her hand on the way home. But she had been heartbroken before. She warned him that if he wanted to be nice to her now- he’d better be prepared to be nice forever. Nothing changed, they were still just friends.
The month of May brought a high school right of passage…Prom. Neither one of them had a date, so they decided to go together- no strings attached. He picked her up wearing a white tuxedo and black and white wing-tipped shoes carrying a dozen roses. He took her to her favorite restaurant- 1 ½ hours away. They laughed, the talked, they danced. He asked her to be his girlfriend, she said yes. They watched the sun rise. He told her he loved her. She said “don’t say that unless you mean it.” They had their last first kiss.
They graduated from high school together. She went away to college, but quickly came back. At the stroke of midnight, when everyone’s mind was occupied by the looming possibility of the world coming to an end at the hands of Y2K, he was on one knee asking her to be his forever. She, of course, said yes! Eight months later, on August 12, 2000, they promised to continue to grow closer to God and each other together, for the rest of their lives.
Three years later their family grew by “two feet.” Camber Elise was born in June of 2003. She is a spunky princess who loves to talk and dance. She adores all things pink and sparkly and is all girl. Before even one year went by they discovered that they would be blessed again. Mark Robert Cooper was born in December of 2004. He is like night to Camber’s day. He has the energy of fifteen 5 year olds and runs everywhere he goes. The only time that he stops is when he’s sleeping, and if you’ve ever shared a bed with him you may beg to differ on even that point!
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We look forward to sharing more of our lives as you embark with us on this roller coaster that God has called us to strap into!
Est. 2000
Mark was born in 1979. His father was military so he spent a good bit of his life moving. He started in Colorado, moved to California, was in Germany for 6 years, then to Virginia for 6 years, Panama, Central America for 6 years, and finally landed in Panama City, Florida. He started school at Rutherford High School in September of 1996….and that’s where the story begins. He was active in band and that’s where they met.
Kim was born in 1981. When she was 2 years old her family moved to Panama City, Florida. In the fall of 1995 she started high school at Rutherford High School. In January of 1996 she took up clarinet and joined the band.
Rutherford had an amazing football team, which is just another way to say that they played football until right before Christmas. The good thing about a great football team is that when they get into the playoffs the band got to ride charter busses rather than the standard “cheese wagons.”
This is where the story really takes off. It was winter of 1996. She was sick as a dog and had gotten lucky enough to get 2 seats to herself. It just didn’t last for long. Because just a few minutes into the trip back home a tall boy with brown hair invaded her bubble so that he could sit closer to his friend across the aisle. And so it began.
She pined after him for 2 ½ years. She told everyone that would listen that he was IT and that she would marry him one day. Because they had mutual friends they began to hang out more and more. They became best friends. That was about to change.
In April of 1999 something happened. He finally saw her as more than just a friend. At a movie that night he became affectionate. He put his arm around her during the movie and held her hand on the way home. But she had been heartbroken before. She warned him that if he wanted to be nice to her now- he’d better be prepared to be nice forever. Nothing changed, they were still just friends.
The month of May brought a high school right of passage…Prom. Neither one of them had a date, so they decided to go together- no strings attached. He picked her up wearing a white tuxedo and black and white wing-tipped shoes carrying a dozen roses. He took her to her favorite restaurant- 1 ½ hours away. They laughed, the talked, they danced. He asked her to be his girlfriend, she said yes. They watched the sun rise. He told her he loved her. She said “don’t say that unless you mean it.” They had their last first kiss.
They graduated from high school together. She went away to college, but quickly came back. At the stroke of midnight, when everyone’s mind was occupied by the looming possibility of the world coming to an end at the hands of Y2K, he was on one knee asking her to be his forever. She, of course, said yes! Eight months later, on August 12, 2000, they promised to continue to grow closer to God and each other together, for the rest of their lives.
Three years later their family grew by “two feet.” Camber Elise was born in June of 2003. She is a spunky princess who loves to talk and dance. She adores all things pink and sparkly and is all girl. Before even one year went by they discovered that they would be blessed again. Mark Robert Cooper was born in December of 2004. He is like night to Camber’s day. He has the energy of fifteen 5 year olds and runs everywhere he goes. The only time that he stops is when he’s sleeping, and if you’ve ever shared a bed with him you may beg to differ on even that point!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
We look forward to sharing more of our lives as you embark with us on this roller coaster that God has called us to strap into!
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