My Story :)

Recently at church, we all were asked to write down our stories of how God has brought us to where we are today.  This is such a wonderful idea, and I hope that many choose to do this.  Thinking back over my 26 years, there are many instances where God has proven himself faithful to me even when I was faithless.  He has always shown me the way in which I should go.  So, here's my story.  

When I was 10 years old, I went to Budd Creek Church Camp with my best buddy Casey Dawn :)  I loved and still love church camp.  It's just so great.  This particular time, God was really working on my heart.  On the Wednesday night of camp, I surrendered my life to Christ.  I was on fire.  I remember coming home and almost demanding that Robbie be saved.  Haha.  I wanted to know for sure that he'd be in Heaven with me one day, and not too long after, he too surrendered his life to Christ.  Here's a picture of my little Jesus-loving, 10-year-old self :-D  (Don't laugh)

Life kept rolling on from there.  I was growing up.   Eighth grade rolled around, and so did my interest in piano.  I grew up around a ton a great pianists in the Grand Prairie area.  Jackie and Craig Nobles, Joan Crawford, Debbie Tyler, and I literally could keep going.  Mrs. Joan, in particular, was our pianist at Rowes Chapel.  I always felt so lucky that she was ours :)  I'd always been interested in piano, but never really pursued it until I was in eight grade.  Mrs. Joan's husband, Bro. Willie, had been battling cancer and they were in and out of church because of this.  Our church was in need of someone to fill in on occasion.  Now, at the time, I had NO idea that it would be me.  I mean, I had never played before.  But,  God had a plan.  

That year was the Christmas that it was cool to get one of those little keyboards from WalMart, so naturally that is what I asked for.  I easily picked out little songs like "Amazing Grace", and then I picked out "My Heart Will Go On" (come on all you Celine Dion fans ... Titanic was big that year!).  So, my Daddy suggested that maybe I should take some 'formal' piano lessons.  

Sweet Whitney Jones was my first piano teacher.  We had lessons at Mr. Chris and Mrs. Judy's house :)  I treasure those memories.  I remember the first lesson:  Whitney showed me how to read the music on the treble clef - every good boy does fine, all cows eat grass.  I went home excited to learn my first piano book!  See, guys ... I was a little naive.  I literally thought I had to finish the entire book before the next lesson, so I did.  Whitney couldn't believe it when I asked for the next book.  She made me play through it all, and sure enough - I had learned the whole book!  From there, I was only in piano lessons for 3 more months.  My first hymn that Whitney taught me to play was "Trust and Obey".  I still do not really understand how I was able to comprehend the piano so quickly - it is truly a God given talent in a time that was needed.  I started playing for my church sometime after that and played until I left for college. 

Here I am in 8th or 9th grade :)

My senior year of high school was one that I strayed.  Not many people knew, but it happened.  I grew tired of being "goody two-shoes" Paige, and attempted to talk the talk and walk the walk of the world.  I'll leave it at that, but it was a 7 month downward hill spiral of me doing things that I always said, "Well, I'll never do that."  My idiotic stupor was shaken my first semester at college, and I realized the person I was becoming.  I literally turned and ran back to God, ashamed of what I had become.  Guilt ate away at me for forever.  Guilt that I couldn't shake.  Guys, Satan will hold you down with guilt to keep you from becoming all that you can be in Christ.  I finally forgave myself, and moved on, but it was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  Forgiving myself.  

God pulled me out of that valley, and set me up on the mountaintop.  Throughout college, I had the opportunity to lead bible studies, share my testimony, lead others to Christ, lead worship, play the piano for various student ministries, go on mission trips, etc. etc.  God is so good.  I don't know if you guys have ever seen Lifehouse's Everything Skit, but it hits home for me.  I'm sure it will with a lot of you too. (Pause the music at the bottom of my blog before watching it :-D) 

Me, Natasha, and Adam playing and singing on a Mission Trip to Costa Rica

I dated a boy throughout college that, at the time, I honestly thought I would marry.  Everyone thought that.  But, one day God laid it on my heart that it wasn't going to happen.  I didn't know how to handle that information.  Right before Thanksgiving break in 2005, we broke up with the ultimate goal of pursuing God whole heartedly with no distractions.  And, that's exactly what I did.  That following summer, I attended Kaleo in Summit County, Colorado.  I learned so much about God and how to glorify Him more and more.  He really prepared my heart for what was to come.  

Here's me, Hannah, and Molly - my D-Group from Kaleo

Coming back after Kaleo was so exciting because I had a targeted ministry.  I was on fire once again sharing the glorious Gospel!   I still had not dated anyone, and didn't intend to.  I was kinda scared of boys at that time.  I told everybody that Jesus was my boyfriend, and we were doing just fine.  I still desired to be married one day and have kids, but was beginning to wonder if that was God's plan for my life.  I struggled and wrestled with that concept until one day I surrendered.  In December 2006, I told God that I was His completely.  He knows the desires of my heart better than I could ever comprehend.  So, I gave my life completely to Him.  I remember praying, "Here am I Lord, send me".  I had become completely okay and even excited about the thought of being a missionary my entire life.  If God wanted me playing piano in a church in the middle of Africa on a dirt floor, I was there.  I put my complete faith in Him.  

As it so happens, December 2006 was also the month that God threw Toby into my lap.  I had finally surrendered everything to Him, and He gave me the desires of my heart.  He gave me my husband.  I love how hindsight is so clear.  The rest is pretty much history.  I married my best friend and now we have a wonderful little woman together.  God has blessed us beyond measure.  I could not ask for more. 

This was actually our first date :-D

The following two verses carried me throughout college and still continue to carry me.  As a woman, we're always told to follow our heart.  But, scripture clearly tells us about our heart. 

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

Jeremiah 17:9

How can we follow our heart, when it so easily leads us in the wrong direction?  Knowing that my heart deceives me, I learned to apply this next verse with all my being.  

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:4

Like I said earlier, God knows the desires of our heart much better than we ever will be able to.  When you delight yourself in the Lord, the desires that you once had may change.  Therefore, we must delight ourselves in Him.    He knows what we have need of even before we ask.   I am so grateful to God for loving me despite my sinfulness.  Our God is so wonderful.