It's Friday and time for the Life Change Inbox to make a comeback! I have been sharing some of the wonderful emails my husband gets, where people share the work God is doing in their lives through Elevation Church. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:2-4 that our lives are living letters written so that God might be glorified.
Today we have two stories, Jennifer and her son, James.
Dear Elevation,
“I Have Decided” is the Sunday that changed the course of my family’s path for eternity. I have been a believer from many years, but wasn’t attending church on a regular basis, nor really looking to either. One day, my son James and I were in the car talking about his future. He is a senior in high school and is preparing for college. We talked about different schools and studying abroad, when I felt compelled to ask him where the Lord fit into his future? He turned and spoke in a tone that almost sounded of longing "I never said I didn’t want to go to church”. At that moment, I realized he wasn’t the one that was falling short, I was. I said to him, “You know, there is this church I’ve been thinking about visiting. I see stickers all over the place, and its pretty close. Want to check it out?” He agreed. So that Sunday we both went. At the close of the worship experience, my son grabbed me and was sobbing. The significance of this should not be lost. Truth is, I hadn’t seen my son cry since he was 5 yrs old and fell off his bike. He told me he wanted to be baptized. Then, I cried. What a moment – one I will never forget.
Fast-forward 2 weeks. My daughter has been talking with her brother and is now interested in coming. She lives with her daughter Izzy and boyfriend in the University area, and hasn’t attended church in years. Her boyfriend is a non-believer and has no interest in attending, but she decides to take Izzy and go with James and I. All it took was one Sunday, and she was ready to recommit her life to Christ. Every Sunday she would call me to go, and was purchasing teaching and worship CD’s…anything she could get her hands on. Fast forward again, Lauren and Izzy are now living at home and she is no longer cohabitating with her boyfriend. Fast forward yet again, the Monday directly following the Sunday after Pastor Steven spoke about Bold Obedience, I was praying for God to demonstrate a miracle to my husband, so that he might believe. At that moment God called me into bold obedience to Him, and informed me that after 30 years of smoking, and countless failed attempts at quitting, I was going to lay them down… and, well, I haven’t had one since. Over 4 months and no cigarettes – I have been delivered.
Can you take more good news? James invited his father (we divorced 13 years ago), who now attends Elevation University, and is active in a Next Level Group, and has now signed up to lead one. My daughter is planning to attend the volunteer class at the Blakeney campus, and is looking to volunteer in eKidz.
God has done so many amazing things in my family in just 6 short months; the transformation of character in my son, the confidence in my daughter, my personal walk with God. I could go on and on….
God has radically changed my family, and I am so grateful that He used Elevation as the vehicle in which to bring us back to His grace and mercy. The teachings of Pastor Steven speak to my spirit and I am so grateful for his leadership. You know he is “really preaching it” when, as you are driving home from church your teenagers says, “man, church just flew by!”
I do believe that God has a plan for my husband. Please keep him in your prayers, that he may be sensitive to God’s voice. And please pray that I may be patient and loving in all my ways, demonstrating the love of the Father in a way that can’t be denied.
In God’s hands,
Jennifer
Dear Elevation,
I am a senior at Mallard Creek High School and currently attend the University campus. I first started attending Elevation on the last week of the baptisms, in August. I hadn't been to church in over 5 years, but my mother heard about Elevation and asked me to try it with her. When we first got to the Matthew campus we were overwhelmed by all of the positive and friendly people, we haven't felt more welcomed in a church. During the worship experience they were showing all of the baptisms they had done and seeing how happy all of the people were I realized that I wanted to have that feeling in my life. So when the pastor mentioned doing baptisms after the worship experience I just felt this power that I had never felt before, I felt God was telling me to get baptized and start a relationship with him. So here I was attending my first worship experience at Elevation and I was getting baptized. I never thought walking into the worship experience that it would end on such a positive note.
I continued to attend Elevation and when they opened the University campus I was pleased because it was much closer to home. One week they had an eGroup event after church, I signed up for the next level group to take my next steps with God. I’ve just recently started to apply for college and I asked God if he could bless me with the right college, I was hoping UNCC so I could continue to attend elevation. I didn't go to any Code Orange revivals but I have been watching the podcasts. During the night 3 worship experience I heard him mention fasting for the Lord. I never thought of fasting before but I couldn't get it out of my mind, it felt like God put it on my heart to fast and he will bless me in ways I never thought imaginable. My mother was addicted to smoking, then one worship experience God told her to quit and he will remove all of the symptoms of withdraw, out of bold obedience she followed his will and she hasn't smoked since. I feel like this is the same and I want to be closer with God and show him that I am willing to give my life to him.
I am truly blessed to have joined such a church as this. I thank all of you for what you have allowed God to do in my family, we are all now attending church and our lives have been forever changed.
Thanks for everything.
James
Bleeding Orange
Well we did it! The vision the Lord gave my husband this summer has come to life. Code Orange Revival has been a smashing success and the excitememnt is only building. We have had overflowing crowds at both of our locations and the rooms are on fire! No only that, but people all over the world are watching online. So far, we have heard from Pastor Craig Groschel, and Pastor Jentezen Franklin. And tonight we will hear from Pastor Matt Chandler.
Check out this letter that we got Marilena in Thailand.
I want to thank you for sharing the CODEORANGEREVIVAL worldwide. I live in Thailand as a missionary, I work with icarethailand, It is just a small group of us, international people and we love your videos and resources. By the grace of God we are able to follow all your 12 revival's meetings here at 7.00 AM local time, that is when we usually gather for prayer and reading the Word. Perfect timing! Now we are with you, praising, worshiping, listening to the inspiring sermons and praying that our lives will change and we will be use more for God's glory.
We love you
Marilena
You can join us each night at the Elevation network starting at 6:12pm. The worship experiences will also be rebroadcasted at 10:12pm, 3:12am and 12:12 pm. But of course, if live near Charlotte, you can join us at our Blakeney and our Matthews campuses.