I wanted to start off by being as transparent as possible. Life will shake you up when you least expect it. However, You have to shake back. I couldn't understand why I was in storm after storm. I thought to myself God I'm in church often, I tithe, I listen to gospel (occasionally). God whats really Good with all these obstacles. You know what the answer was? God wanted More of my attention. Shinelle you're in church but church wasn't in you, I tell you stand you sit, I tell you raise your hand and you care who is looking, you only pray when your facing a challenge. My child Of course you're feeling pressure. God was saying I only hear from you when you're going through it. I had to wake up. I wasn't serious.
THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE. As I look back now All I can do is REJOICE. While I was in the mist of sin, disobedience , selfishness, ignorance God still saw fit to use ME. while I was in it I didn't understand but it all makes sense now. I am a LIVING testimony of " I know the plans I have for you, declares that lord: they are plans for peace, not disaster to give you a future filled with hope ( Jeremiah 29:11).
JAN 2018 as I wrote my New Years resolution I was being tugged to write get baptized . Little did I know Feb 4th it was my time. Lets take a few steps back. As a child I knew who God was. as a child my family took us to church on Sunday's. I'm Grateful for those small introductions.
Jan 29th I went to an event where 20 somethings came together to worship. (Hebrew 10:25) I left feeling convicted. I wasn't ready to go and something was telling me to stay. However, I had work in the morning at 7am. As I was leaving I told my friend something is saying don't leave. I didn't understand the voice of GOD yet.
the next day I returned to work after being off for a week. I entered a patients room Not realizing that this was the same person I left in this same room a week ago because he looked completely different. He was dying. I left him last week up walking around , laughing, making jokes, we spoke about God as I was leaving the week before he held my hand. Now, a week later he was literally on his last breath. what make this unusual is the floor I work on we don't necessarily have this type of patient. All the nurses were surprised that they kept him on our floor. we don't keep Patients this critical on our floor. There is so much More to this but because of HIPPA laws I can't go into so much details.
Nothing happens by chance, God gives us the free will to makes choices and make a CHANGE. His name which I didn't realize until that moment was also significant. I clearly needed a five min break. I started scrolling on Instagram and saw that after the BREW event 5 people were baptized in the pool. I completely started crying in the break room. This was why GOD wanted me to stay. My co-worker walked in to me crying. I asked her is she's a believer, she said yes. I told her its time for me to get Baptized and CHANGE my life. we both embraced each other and started boohooing together.
Needless to say I started crying and worshiping AT WORK! . I called my aunt after work because I was completely wrecked . I told her it’s time. She directed me to call my church and find out when is baptism . Instead I was going to call my son’s grandmother ( she’s involved with activities at church) . I let Monday slip by and I didn’t make any phone calls. Tuesday my son’s Grandmother called me “JUST TO SAY HI” . Before I picked up ,I looked up and laughed. I told her I was going to call her to find out when the church will be holding baptisms this year. She said .....“ THIS SUNDAY”.....(FEB 4.2018). I have been attending this church for 5 years. If this wasn’t God pulling me. (Jesus died for my sins . I picked up the cross. Proverbs 3:5.
