Awesome worship or encouragement assault? You be the judge!

Ok, so once again, God totally rocks! I've been meaning to blog since Sunday but it's taken me part of the week to get some of the info. I wanted to share. So, I think I shared with you that from time to time, we still have waves of grief that hit us about our old church, feelings of anger and bitterness that come up that need to be forgiven again, sadness over the loss of friendships & the lies, etc. Well, on the way to church on Sunday, I was sharing w/ Jim how, I understand that it takes a while to get over things like that but how much I long to be on the other side, completely healed, completely forgiving of all that was done. I was sharing about what a weird combo it is to, on the one hand, feel so much joy and celebration and thankfulness and yet have these waves hit from time to time. I understand the necessity of grieving & re-forgiving as things come up as that's healthy but I'm feeling a little impatient 'cause I really want to fully celebrate right now too. At any rate, we continued to chat about that and then moved on to our adoption, wondering aloud how God was going pull it off, sharing our excitement and fear at the same time.

So, we get to church and once the worship started, it was ALL over for me! I have had God encourage me before but NEVER like He did at this service. The first song was called "Savior" by Ross Parsley and the words go like this....

"I have seen with my own eyes your faithfulness, oh, God.
I refuse to believe the lies that war against my soul.
You rescued me from all my fears, and loosed the chains of
wasted years.

You're my Savior, restorer, rebuilder, rewarder.
My refuge, redeemer, defender, my healer, Savior

Now my heart is overwhelmed by all sufficient grace.
For I have found my weaknesses become your perfect strength.
You rescued me from all my fears, and loosed the chains of
was - ted years.

You're my Savior, restorer, rebuilder, rewarder.
My refuge, redeemer, defender, my healer, Savior

Behold the One who holds me in His hands.
The God who comes and turns my morning
into dance.

You're my Savior, restorer, rebuilder, rewarder.
My refuge, redeemer, defender, my healer, Savior"

Oh, but no, God is not finished yet. The next song was "You Hold it All" by Desperation Band and the lyrics are...

"You breathed and the stars arrived, maching in perfect time into the night.
You spoke and the light appeared, marking the days and years of our lives.

You hold it all together, You hold it all forev - er.
You hold it all, You started it all, You are my all in all.

You loved in the greatest way, giving Your life away for all that was lost.
You conquered the enemy, darkness is trembling, You are alive.

You hold it all together, You hold it all forev - er.
You hold it all, You started it all, You are my all in all.

The Lord is my light and my salvation in life, I will not fear, no, I will not fear.

You hold it all together, You hold it all forev - er.
You hold it all, You started it all, You are my all in all.

I will not fear, I will not fear, ’cause You hold it all."

Oh, but now God's just getting warmed up 'cause the next song is "When I Speak Your Name"

"Jesus, the most beautiful name of all names
Jesus, the only name that brings healing and strength
When I speak your name, mountains move and chains are loosed
When I speak your name, darkness flees, it has no hold on me

Jesus, the most beautiful name that I know, you're the exalted one
And Jesus, you have the power alone. You lift the lowly one, Jesus

Jesus, the most wonderful name of all names
Jesus, the only name that brings freedom and hope
When I speak your name, mountains move, chains are loosed
When I speak your name, darkness flees, it has no hold on me

And Jesus, the most beautiful name that I know, you're the exalted one
And Jesus, you have the power alone. You lift the lowly one, Jesus

Be exalted, Be exalted, Be exalted higher and higher
Be exalted, Be exalted, Be exalted higher and higher

And Jesus, the most beautiful name that I know, you're the exalted one
And Jesus, you have the power alone. You lift the lowly one, Jesus"

Mmmmm-hmmmm. You're feeling it now, aren't you?! Oh, but He still kept going with "Jesus, Name Above All Names"

"Jesus, name above all names
Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord
Emmanuel, God is with us
Blessed redeemer, Living Word"

And just when I thought my heart would explode, a guy came up to lead us into the offering time and talked about how God has made all things new again. The old is taken away....THEN, they ended the worship and offering with "Amazing Love"

"I’m forgiven because You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and rose again

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor You
In all I do, I honor You

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor You
In all I do, I honor You
In all I do, I honor You

You are my King
You are my King
Jesus, You are my King
You are my King

Amazing love, how can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor You

Amazing love, how can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor You
In all I do, to honor You

In all I do, to honor You,
In all I do, Let me honor You."

Oh, but God STILL WASN'T DONE! THEN, they had a children's choir come up and sing a song that talked about if you do it to the least of these, then you've done it for me. AND then, now that we were BIG SOPPY MESSES, they brought up a family that had been the first in the church to adopt from Foster Care. This family was adopting another little one from foster care and a 3rd one coming in a few months. They spoke about how God knit this family together and had the congregation pray over them.

So, not only did God reassure us over and over that He would be our healer, our rebuilder & restorer but that He had it all, that there's power in His name and that the lowly are lifted up, that He knit our family together w/Jasmine and that if we do it to her, it's as if we're doing it to Jesus Himself. Is there ANY doubt that we are doing what we're meant to do?! You tell me, just awesome worship or total encouragement assault?!