A friend of mine from the Emmaus Community connected me with Transformation Project.
It was a hop, skip, and jump to the church from where my office is at the Holston GaP Parish on Thursday. I shared table fellowship and delicious lasagna, bread, and dipped strawberries with folks. After dinner, chairs were lined up close to the podium.
What I shared on Thursday was very close to what I preached the week prior because I felt so led to speak on being transformed, hope, confidence, etc. There were some things changed and some testimony added to what I shared. I also shared the words to a song I had heard for the first time the previous night going home from Ash Wednesday service.
The song is "Diamonds" by Hawk Nelson. The lyrics were powerful and touched me in relationship to Ash Wednesday, but also related to being transformed.
Check out the lyrics:
Here and now I'm in the fire,
In above my head
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Being held under the pressure,
Don't know what'll be left
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
But it's here in the ashes
I'm finding treasure
He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making diamonds out of dust
He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of us
I'll surrender to the power
Of being crushed by love
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Till the beauty that was hidden
Isn't covered up
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Oh it's not what I hoped for
It's something much better
He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making diamonds out of dust
He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of us
Oh the joy of the lord
It will be my strength
When the pressure is on
He's making diamonds
Oh the joy of the lord
It will be my strength
When the pressure is on
He's making diamonds
Oh the joy of the lord
It will be my strength
When the pressure is on
He's making, he's making
He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making us rise up from the dust
He is refining in his timing
He's making diamonds out of dust
Making diamonds out of us
I won't be afraid to shine
I won't be afraid to shine
I won't be afraid to shine
Cause he's making diamonds out of dust
Making diamonds out of us
I wasn't sure when I walked in on Thursday evening if the message I felt led to share truly was for anyone there. But before we ate dinner, I had a brief conversation with one person and knew immediately that hope and the transformational power of Christ were a needed message that night.
It is a blessing to be a willing vessel of our Creator. It is a super special blessing to watch the Creator weave things together in the Kingdom and in the body of Christ. I saw that Thursday. I saw threads woven together as different people spoke and shared.
Why Transformation Project? Because the call came and I answered. Do I always say "yes" to calls that come? No. I pray. Is it the right time? There are some things that I want to say "yes" to, but it just isn't the right time. I have said "no" recently to a couple of speaking opportunities.
What does Transformation Project awaken in me? I'm glad you asked. It takes me back to the days when I was the first female faculty member of Bryan College that was privileged and blessed to teach inside the facility in Pikeville. Though I only taught one semester of Spanish there, it was one of those ministry opportunities to which I had been called and I knew it. It was a blessing to be able to live into it. Thursday night was similar for me. It felt right. It fit. My journey isn't the same as those with whom I ate that night and with whom I shared, yet we are all on a transformational journey. We all have things in our lives that require change and for which we need hope for the journey.
If you want to learn more about Transformation Project, click here to go to their website or http://www.transformationproject.org/.
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
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