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Transformation

What a transforming time was had this past Sunday @ the newly named "Transformation Church"! It was the party of all parties. With the unveiling of our new Cafe, the announcing of the amount raised for our Capital Campaign, the New Name announcement and of course, Ricardo Sanchez, here live and in person....wow! Ricardo brought a message of hope and healing to the 400 people that were in the building. It brought transformation to their lives because in their hopeless situation they found hope that day.

Like a caterpillar metamorphisizes(this is not a word, looked it up in dictionary, couldn't find it, but just go with it) into a beautiful butterfly, so does our lives. But it doesn't become this beautiful creature with out a struggle. You see there once was a man who found a cocoon and brought it home. It must've fallen from a tree. He placed it on the table and saw this struggle occurring from inside of it. To try and help the poor little butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped the rest of the cocoon away. In doing this the butterfly crawled out onto the table lame and crippled, never learning to fly. You see, it was in the struggle that the butterfly would've gained it's strength and then it would've learned how to fly.
And so it is in the process of the transforming power of God. He could make it real easy for us. He has the power to do that. He can take away the debt, the pain, make the relationship right, get us the house, the car, heal us. As a mom, I love to give gifts to my children, I love to make things easier for them. I like to clean their rooms and make their beds, pick up their toys after them and even clean out the dishwasher. But when I do all of that, I know that I am doing them a disservice(and to their future wives). It's in the learning and the work that they grow and find pride and confidence in a job well done. I am still working on this so I have not perfected that area of my life but I have the concept and now have to apply it consistently. Same with God, if He took all of your troubles and made life easy, would you grow? Would you pray? Would you need Him? Honestly? No, you wouldn't and neither would I. We would like to think that yes, we would praise Him and love Him and Pray to Him, but the truth is, how often do we pray now? How often do we praise Him and thank Him now? On Sundays? At a meal? It's hard to look at ourselves and see the truth.
Growth and transformation happens when we go through trials and pray and praise despite those trials. When the bills are due and God provides a solution. Maybe it's a new job or a second job. Maybe after much prayer and doing your part, He opens a door for you to get a home, get out of debt.
God is in the business of transforming lives everyday. There isn't a moment that goes by that transformation isn't occurring. Just like the butterfly, you may be struggling to break free, you may be fighting to be free, but it's in the fight that you will find strength and courage. You will find freedom and relief.And then after the fight you look in the mirror and see a beautiful creation...YOU! You may be a little banged up, a little broken, but put back together by the Master. Nothing is more gratifying than that!

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