some of the simplest things for others are some of the greatest revelations to me. today on my way home from a friends I thought about how blessed I am to know them and what a major role they have played in my life. this is a family that God used to plant the idea of moving to nashville into my spirit, and that I have learned many things from. well I just couldn't stop thinking of the significance that they have in directing me into God's purpose. then I just started thinking of all the people that God ordained in my life to get me to all the places I needed to be. how one sentence out of someones mouth can change your life, and they never realize that it happens. I just thought it was amazing, and at the time that I realized how amazing it was, i began to wonder if I have ever been that small piece in the puzzle that completed a work that God was forming in someone's life. we have to remember that we are here to carry out a great purpose. sometimes we are called to be that small part of someones life that makes all the difference. the part of the puzzle that would be incomplete without our obedience. all that to say that God is the perfector of devine appointment. that when the Spirit gives us a word we need to speak it, it could change the world. someone is praying for that person that they love to be surrounded by men and women of faith to speak truth into their lives, so that Jesus would be rooted into their hearts by devine appointment, so they would be changed forever. Rom 10:14-15
tricia

Amen!

------------------
amberlynn@stand318.com

Big T, just wanted to share something with you, that you might find a little interesting. (This thread is very similar to one by forgiven as well - http://www.stand318.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000079.html ).

My white-dog has shared a few times how you were the one that invited him to WEBS a few years back - it actually took 2-3 invites for him to show... and out of those first meetings in WEBS, stand318 was born... Jimn, Steve, and Jason were all a part of that time... so we do owe at least a small debt of gratitude that you obeyed that still small voice to invite my dawg.

One afternoon in front of World's Gym (about 3 years ago), Jay LeJune and I had just finished a workout and were headed out. A skinny dude in the parking lot started talking to Jay about this "bible study" that was going on on Monday nights. The skinny dude (who later meta-morphosized into a bug strappin dude under my watchful eye ) said "Yeah, why don't you come on out" when I asked what they were talking about. He hasn't been able to get me to stop coming ever since..

I began putting this site together about a year later, and it is now visited by thousands of people a month from all over the world...

So yeah, I'd say your obedience in that picture frame shop a few years ago has had a major impact in thousands of lives, here in southeast Texas and around the world... this just blows me away in thinking about this now... it's amazing what God can do through us when we choose to obey.

Thank you...




Yes, forgiven, Amen!!!

------------------
- Allen

tricia
my girl let me just tell you how you have not only been one piece of the puzzle in my life but several pieces. When I think of my relationship with Christ and where it is today I know that it is because of you & Lara being in my life. You and I have shared so many hard times and good times together, it has been such a growing experience for me. I think of our relationship and I see us holding the hands of our Lord, walking with Him together through all the rough roads we have traveled. How awesome it was to travel with Him with you right there with me.
Lets just reflect for a moment shall we. Since God put us together we have met some of our best friends and awesome prayer warriors in our whole life, we have witnessed miracles and changes, we've witnessed and been a part of God shaping six guys into one of the best worshipers in this land, and we've ministered to thousands of teenagers. How awesome is He that not only have we been blessed to see these things but also be apart of it all. Need I go on.
God is good.


Glory to God,
Moesha




------------------
signed me
the nobody

I have realized over the past couple of years that I don't understand everything yet but I do know that GOD has a plan.

I am sooooooooooooo greatful that all of yall have been placed as a puzzle piece in my life.

luv yall

innerdawg

Wow, that was amazing. Thanks for sharing. You know when you are not around much and you look on the last couple of years that are so important to you and wonder why you are where you are. You ask God why am I at this place and not where things were before. God answers and says "Its time to step out of the same and normal." I did not understand that much. I just was amazed to see that out of our obiedience God gives you much Blessings!!!! Yes he is faithful. I am thankful to know that you had a major part of the Stand318 that is what it is today. I did not know that all of this happened this way. But it is good to know that your friends really do help in the perfect time. And that out of what the say can pull you a long way.

Purity

------------------
Love,Joy,Peace,
and Holiness Always

There's a song I play quite often that makes me think of this thread:

It's the way You've always been
and i guess You'll always be
simply loving anyone
who comes within Your reach
and i can't help but think about it
every now and then
and wonder if You even know
about that moment when

You changed the world
in a mighty way
You may not recall it
but i won't forget that day
when the love of God inspired You
to show me i could find the truth
in One who gave His life
so i could be free
You may not think You changed the world
but You sure changed the world for me

it's a miracle to me
how the Father sends our way
the right one at the right time
with the right words to say
i want to work in other's lives
the way You've worked in mine
and take the words i took to heart
to one heart at a time

You changed the world
in a mighty way
You may not recall it
but i won't forget that day
when the love of God inspired You
to show me i could find the truth
in One who gave His life
so i could be free
You may not think You changed the world
but You sure changed the world for me

You changed the world Scott Krippayne

We may never know the full effect of a seed planted, a hope nurtured, a small belief that there's something better out there, but we can see the benefit easily here of one person's obedience...

Tricia, I don't think we ever got the chance to really talk. I remember meeting you at OneDay, but that's about it. But I owe you a big ol debt of gratitude...you see, I got to reading in this thread, and I realized something. Each person that has replied to this thread has completely changed my world.

Some people from a little group called stand318 came into the cafe that I worked at and the two that really took the time to talk to me were Jason and Rick. And through them, i saw the love of God, and I decided that maybe there was something to the whole "relationship with Christ". So a week after I met Jason and Rick, I fell into some bad stuff. Called the stand pager, Jason called me, gave me Mandy's number, and she invited me to church with her and then to Stand...where I completely gave my life over to God for the first time. I struggled really hard at first, and Rick was ALWAYS a shoulder to cry on...and it was really tough for me, because I was the only Christian at my job, and although I was on fire for God it would have been nice to have someone else around who shared a common bond...and then Amber started working there, and I realized that there really were other people out there who loved God besides the people in Stand (which was reassuring to me that it was possible to bring others to Christ) and I invited her to stand, so we were able to help each other...then I met Allen who has helped me more than I could ever thank him for, and here I am today.

Foreverchanged.

None of it would have happened like that had it not been for your faithfulness...

PS Allen, that song...it has a familiar ring to it. Would you mind letting me hear it sometime...maybe I'll remember why I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.

[ 06-19-2001: Message edited by: foreverchanged ]

Wow! I'm kinda fellin nostalgic right now.
I worked with Tricia for awhile at Grinddaddy's, and thought I really didn't get to know her that well, I know she fit into that "puzzle."

And Michelle,You have probably been the most influential person that has come into my life this past year. YOu were there for me during my hardest times and completely understood how I felt, and eventhough that stuff is in the past, we still know how each other feel, b/c we share alot of the same things. That was totally GOD that we met and I am eternally grateful. I know we kinda drifted apart for awhile, but now it's gettin back on track. Let's not loose the great friendship we have .

I could go on and on about everyone of the great people I've meet at Stand but I think I would bore you all . I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

I love you, man! You're right...I'm sorry. I completely neglected my friends that I love very much -- cut myself off even because I was so focused on me me memememememe...this and memememememe that and I am so depressed and I am so afraid and I need this and I don't have that...and what am I gonna do about this...memememememememe. I don't feel God's presence (all the while knowing that He was there) and feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't always feel Him. And I think about those who don't even KNOW Him and it makes me ashamed of myself to think how selfish it was of me to put myself in a box and let my fears and my depression take over who I was.

Amber I love you so much, and I KNOW for sure that God put us together for a reason, and I am not gonna let my best bargain discount bin friend slip away! I not only believe that you and I together for a reason, but that God put all of us together in Stand. We are all still hanging in there for a reason, and I believe that God is preparing us for something huge...if we will take the focus off of "ME" and start saying, "Okay, God. I'm ready. Whatever it takes..." We are here for such a time as this...

heheh

did you have something to say, mr ayres??? or were you just trying to up your number of posts?

When I have something intelligent to say, I'll... ummmmm... say it... otherwise, I prefer sticking my tongue out...

You must walk around with your toungue out of your mouth quite often, then...eh?

If you really must know...


yes <img src="tongue.gif" border="0" alt="" />

Wow there are some great posts on this topic. I know that Stand has been a major piece of the puzzle in my life and there will never be enough words to descibe how thankful I am for you guys. I love and miss you tons. Thanks <img src="smile.gif" border="0" alt="" />

Love,
Rachel

[ 08-20-2001: Message edited by: Rachel ]

We miss you too! <img src="smile.gif" border="0" alt="" />

So when are you going to come visit us?

Thanks,
I am hoping to get there next summer so that i can get some vacation time saved up and some cash. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0" alt="" /> But I will be down there for sure.

Love,
Rachel

Since this is the post for kudos, lemme not be left out.

i dont know where to begin with what stand and its people have done for me. cronologically ? i guess i can take a stab at that.

first time i was taken to stand by allen, it was a rough time in my life. i was going thru a hard realtionship that made me miserable. i was at a job that made me feel dirty and was a place that surrounded me in sin, in every form of it. i was nervous and uncomfortable but then the group grew on me. i started coming on a regular basis. my life as a used to be active member in church was renewed ! woken up ! the biggest part of me was sleeping and now it stood in the light and it was BIG!
then i made one day and fell in love with worship in the form that i had never been around being raised in the church i was. i put my hands in the air, knelt and cried and GREW !
then i fell away. then i came back. allen never let me get too far away and he, as a true and long term friend knew what i needed and was an active minister to me and thus saved my life.
then i met michelle. somehow she reached across those phone lines and connected me with the humanness of jesus as well as something better to do with my iunternet knowledge than try to date someone !
she and allen have cloaked me in a garment that has made me feel worthy and beautiful again.
whether it is when michelle hap hazardly calls when i jsut picked up a drink and let her intuition act through her or allen lending a gentle ear when noone else could possibly tolerate hearing me jabber, the group has ministered me into an active christian.
jason also at one time lent a tuned ear and turned me over to others in the group, like lisa f. and he also shared his pain and identified at a crucial time.
rachel has been a glory and made me feel welcome at one day when i was allowed to join her friends in the tent and made me a part of their group. she is also responsible for letting me have the most fun i have ever had that i can remeber (not esagerating) at night without alcohol. the girls night out the one time i was able to go showed me true love andthat females can still bond and not in the traditional social way (out drinking)

i could go on and on but then i would be up all night ! i want to thank each and every one of you who played that TINY PEICES role in my life, and those who dont even know who i am and i dont know who you are, have reached me through these keys and this monitor and keep me going EVERY DAY.

the Lord is ALIVE here ... and I want to be a part of it !!

I thank my God everytime I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your parternership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus(Phil. 1:3-6)

I love you guys and am thankful God put blessings like you in my life. Sometimes we get busy and forget to lift each other up, so here is a reminder of my love and to love one another and encourage each other. <img src="smile.gif" border="0" alt="" />

Love always,
Amber Lynn