Acts 9:1-6
Meanwhile, Saul, was uttering threats with every breath and
was eager to kill the Lord's followers.
was eager to kill the Lord's followers.
So he went to the high priest.
He requested letters addressed to
the synagogues in Damascus, asking for
their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of
the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them-both
men and women-back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission,
a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
"Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"
"Who are you, lord?" Saul asked.
And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
He requested letters addressed to
the synagogues in Damascus, asking for
their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of
the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them-both
men and women-back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission,
a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
"Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"
"Who are you, lord?" Saul asked.
And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
And the story goes on to tell of how Saul was blinded and went into the city to be healed by Ananias despite Ananias' fear of Saul. Ananias trusted God even if he questioned him at first. He obeyed. But this blog is not really about that. It is more about each of our own personal Damascus Road moments. We all have one whether it is like lightening with Saul or very quiet. It is a bolt of lightening within our hearts. A door is knocked down forever and we ask Jesus into our hearts. I have been thinking about this a lot lately since some dreams are beginning to be realized. The buddings of the flowers of patience, prayer, perseverance and faith are becoming fruitful. Some friends of mine have put together a band. We call it Breaking Chains. As I read through this section of Acts and how Saul wanted to bring the followers of the Way back in chains I can't help but think of how Jesus broke all those chains by converting Saul. All those followers in Damascus Saul was on his way to chain up, would not have to have those chains on their arms. Instead, Saul would have his own chains broken and become Paul, one of the most amazing followers of the Way, Jesus.
It is through his obedience and teaching God has shared so much with us. I am grateful that God chose Paul. Any other person it may not have touched so many for his conversion was the most dramatic and life changing of all. He struggled with so much of what we even now struggle with and it is through his experiences, his struggling and documenting it and sharing how he dealt with them all that inspires and encourages me.
But again, I am chasing a rabbit. We are putting music to a song that was conceived by the Holy Spirit in my heart almost two years ago. I took it to Laurel a couple of months ago and asked her to put lyrics to it. It is so powerful. It is stories of different people at that last string, that last moment falling to their knees and having their own Damascus Road. The moment they truly believe and turn to Jesus. And as I sat and listened to the rough beginnings of the song with a full band, I couldn't help but feel an ache of amazement and love in my heart. It is a dream come true for me. A desire the Lord placed in so many hearts all in one coming to life!
As I said, we all have our own Damascus Road. Mine was sitting in a pew by myself in the balcony of West Asheville Baptist Church as I watched the Easter program come to life before me. What a powerful thing for me, a buddhist and non christian to see. I'll never forget that night. The night I was born and was no longer a walking dead woman. I came to life. My heart opened up to never fully close up again. All because I finally chose to answer Jesus' knock on the door of my heart.
My particular story begins on a chilly night in March 2008. The fifteenth to be exact. I remember Becky over the past couple months talking about the program and bringing in fliers for it. She put one on our fridge at work and gave me one. I just laid it on my work table and forgot about it. For some reason, I decided after all I would go. I was going to bring two friends. They both canceled on me. I almost used it as an excuse not to go, but there was a pull I could not ignore nor understood at the time on my heart. Now, I know what it was. It was like Jesus had put the biggest, thickest rope on my heart and began to tug. Gently, then with a little more force. I was like a robot as I dressed. I didn't want to go. I didn't like going to things like that on my own. I'll never forget staring at the door knob of my door and saying to myself, "I can just sit on the couch and watch TV." Even as I said it, I watched my hand, it was my hand, but didn't look like my hand turn the doorknob. I stood in the hallway. The same debate going on in my head. Then there was that tug. I nearly ran to my car. I barely remember the drive. I turned into the wrong church and debated turning right and going home, but found myself turning left then into the parking lot of the right church. I parked. I must have gone back to my car three times. As I walked through the huge doors of the big, brick church I was so afraid. The smiling, skinny man at the door really frightened me. I shuffled past him as fast as I could and went to where Becky told me to go. I never got up the whole night and at the end of the night when the preacher did the invitation, I quietly accepted Christ. I felt a chill on my shoulders as the weight of my sins were removed and tossed away. I had never felt so light in my life! Thank you Jesus for drawing me to you! So, that is my Damascus Road.
Healing began that night and let me say, it is not an easy road, but it is a road filled with peace.
What is your Damascus Road?
God bless!
your sister in Christ,
Jennifir Huston
It is through his obedience and teaching God has shared so much with us. I am grateful that God chose Paul. Any other person it may not have touched so many for his conversion was the most dramatic and life changing of all. He struggled with so much of what we even now struggle with and it is through his experiences, his struggling and documenting it and sharing how he dealt with them all that inspires and encourages me.
But again, I am chasing a rabbit. We are putting music to a song that was conceived by the Holy Spirit in my heart almost two years ago. I took it to Laurel a couple of months ago and asked her to put lyrics to it. It is so powerful. It is stories of different people at that last string, that last moment falling to their knees and having their own Damascus Road. The moment they truly believe and turn to Jesus. And as I sat and listened to the rough beginnings of the song with a full band, I couldn't help but feel an ache of amazement and love in my heart. It is a dream come true for me. A desire the Lord placed in so many hearts all in one coming to life!
As I said, we all have our own Damascus Road. Mine was sitting in a pew by myself in the balcony of West Asheville Baptist Church as I watched the Easter program come to life before me. What a powerful thing for me, a buddhist and non christian to see. I'll never forget that night. The night I was born and was no longer a walking dead woman. I came to life. My heart opened up to never fully close up again. All because I finally chose to answer Jesus' knock on the door of my heart.
My particular story begins on a chilly night in March 2008. The fifteenth to be exact. I remember Becky over the past couple months talking about the program and bringing in fliers for it. She put one on our fridge at work and gave me one. I just laid it on my work table and forgot about it. For some reason, I decided after all I would go. I was going to bring two friends. They both canceled on me. I almost used it as an excuse not to go, but there was a pull I could not ignore nor understood at the time on my heart. Now, I know what it was. It was like Jesus had put the biggest, thickest rope on my heart and began to tug. Gently, then with a little more force. I was like a robot as I dressed. I didn't want to go. I didn't like going to things like that on my own. I'll never forget staring at the door knob of my door and saying to myself, "I can just sit on the couch and watch TV." Even as I said it, I watched my hand, it was my hand, but didn't look like my hand turn the doorknob. I stood in the hallway. The same debate going on in my head. Then there was that tug. I nearly ran to my car. I barely remember the drive. I turned into the wrong church and debated turning right and going home, but found myself turning left then into the parking lot of the right church. I parked. I must have gone back to my car three times. As I walked through the huge doors of the big, brick church I was so afraid. The smiling, skinny man at the door really frightened me. I shuffled past him as fast as I could and went to where Becky told me to go. I never got up the whole night and at the end of the night when the preacher did the invitation, I quietly accepted Christ. I felt a chill on my shoulders as the weight of my sins were removed and tossed away. I had never felt so light in my life! Thank you Jesus for drawing me to you! So, that is my Damascus Road.
Healing began that night and let me say, it is not an easy road, but it is a road filled with peace.
What is your Damascus Road?
God bless!
your sister in Christ,
Jennifir Huston
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