The Importance of Remembrance

Twanna Henderson: Well, welcome to T Time: Spiritual conversations for, with, and about women. I'm your host, Twanna Henderson, and as always, I want to remind you to, like this broadcast, to share it with others, we're so excited about it. Well, you know, it's hard to believe that, T Time will actually be celebrating five years next year.

st will be, our final one for: 2024

But as we look ahead, to the new year and just. beginning to prepare for what God has, I really wanted to kind of talk about celebrating and commemorating significant events. Commemoration plays a vital role in the life of our faith. it serves as a, reminder of God's faithfulness, and pivotal moments in our spiritual journey.

From the Israelites journey, through the wilderness to the establishment of the Lord's supper. The Bible is replete with examples that underscore, the significance of remembering and celebrating key events. one of the most prominent examples of commemoration in the Bible is, of course, the Passover, that's instituted in Exodus, Chapter 12.

As you recall, the Israelites were instructed to remember, their deliverance from slavery in Egypt by celebrating this annual, event. And God commanded them saying, this day shall be for you a memorial day and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord. He said that in Exodus 12 and 14. And so the Passover, not only served as a reminder of their physical

deliverance, but also pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. You know, in our own lives, commemorating significant events, whether they're personal or communal, they really serve as a spiritual anchor just as the Passover was reminder of God's deliverance, our celebrations can remind us of

God's provision and grace in our lives. this throughout this entire month, my local church will be celebrating and commemorating 25 years, 25 years of ministry. As I was thinking about it, you know, we began as a church, that my husband and I actually planted 25 years ago in a recreation center with 12 people.

Does 12 ring a bell? 12 people. Yeah. And, there were so many things that were significant, as anyone who understands who has planted a church, who's been a part of a, a planting team, or launch team, who's been a pastor's wife or anyone in ministry understands that there are good times and there are bad times and there are, ups and there are downs.

But there were so many different things that, we went through, you know, I remember, as we started out and we didn't have, we didn't have a praise team and we didn't have a band and. but we had the Word, of the Lord. you know, it's so amazing when we think about what really, what it really takes, you know, to be able to worship God and to be able to, to really, attract, you know, others to him as the Word.

I mean, it's the Word is, it's not all these other things that we've added to it, are good. But it's the Word, it's the unadulterated Word of God. And when I think back of how the Lord allowed us during that time that was so new for us and, and even scary at times, where all we had was, The word of God and people who believed in God's word and believed in the vision, of, of the house of what God was doing, and it was, it was such an important time and, anybody who's been a part of, something new like that, you know, there's always a freshness

at the beginning. There's a sense of excitement at the beginning. There's a sense of newness at the beginning and so, I recall, just being able to have, you know, all night prayer vigils and, to be able to, have prayer walks and, and all of the different things that, we were able to do.

And some of those things we still do, now. not all night long. We don't pray all night long, but we may pray till 12 o'clock but we do these things just believing God and trusting God and, and just, connecting with one another and, and believing and coming together in faith.. You know, it's so important that when we are starting out in various, things in our lives that we're coming together and just believing God together.

There's, there's something that happens when we come together and we're trusting God and believing God and, and we know that God is, is really working on our behalf. And so. you know, I remember those early days and, and how, it was really tough and how we would have, you know, you know, one, one adult class, a life class, or where we started our children's church and, you know, and anybody who's a pastor's wife, you've probably done some of everything, I certainly have other than singing now that I do not do, And you'll thank me for it, but I remember being in so many different roles that were not my gifting per se, but being able to plug in whatever the Lord, needed me to plug in.

I think that's the beauty of when you're starting something new, particularly with starting a new ministry, the Lord will anoint you. He will, he will help you. He will empower you to be able to walk, in whatever capacity is needed, like children's church, which was not my area. but God will give you the grace.

You know, he will give you the grace to do what you need to do at that particular time. And, you know, and I want to just encourage someone who may be in early stages of ministry, you know, early stages of a business. to not give up. You know, it can be so difficult at the beginning because we don't see the end.

We don't always see where it's going to be. We don't know where God is going to take us. but we have to just stay encouraged. And I, I want to just encourage someone who may just be at that early stage and just wondering, gosh, is it really worth it? Is it, you know, can I do this? And trust me, you can.

I mean, there may be days where you feel like I cannot do this, but God is so faithful and he is such a God of, of grace. He, he's, he's a God who will, strengthen us to do what we need to do, in those early stages. And I think one of the things that has helped me as I, reflect on our 25 years is, the camaraderie and the connection and fellowship that we've had with other ministry partners.

We've had people who've come alongside us to, to encourage us, who were further along in ministry or who were in the same, boat, so to speak, in terms of, their ministry stage at that time, but it's so important to be able to have people who can connect with you, who can, come alongside and support you and who can believe with you, you know, I think that's one of the things that's so powerful about Converge is because you've got people who understand what you're doing, who can appreciate the struggle, you know, and the struggle is real.

But who can appreciate the struggle, but who can come alongside to encourage you to, offer tools, and things to be able to help you. and it's so, so important. And so even for pastors wives, I want to be able to say, look, you know, It can be difficult and sometimes it can, you can kind of feel like, you know, where do I fit in the midst of this?

But know that God has a place for all of us. He has a place, for each one of us and it may look different. It may look different from person to person. But he has a place for each one of us. And, and so being able to get to that place where we can look back. And so, I remember, I remember just so many people who, were supportive throughout and how, Converge, was supportive throughout and how, we had ministry partners.

It was just such an important time to be able to, to be able to know that there are people who were connected and who were believing with us as well. And so even throughout this entire month, we're, we're going to be able to, we're spending time just reflecting on a lot of the highlights and reflecting on the fruit of what the Lord has allowed us to be able to to see, you know, , there's nothing like those stories of people who, who share how, how they came to know Jesus through our ministry.

I mean, whether, whether we realize it or not, we, we, you know, we the power, there's power of one on one evangelism. But most of the time, the, you know, evangelism is what happens when we gather together. It's what happens in a sense of community, in the sense of church. And, and so a lot of times that's, that's where people, that transformation happens.

And, and so being able to hear, I've heard stories of people who, who've walked through various life challenges with us over the past 25 years and how they, and come to know the Lord or how they've grown in the Lord. And, and I think that's what ministry is all about. I think that's what makes it so, so important.

That's what makes it so impactful to be able to know that, that the Lord has been working in lives and, and working in our lives and just how he's, allowed us to grow and to develop and to be able to have seasons, of seeing his, his hand, you know, there are those winter seasons where things are so dry and things seem like they're, not going well.

But then knowing that there has to be a spring. I mean, if there's a winter, there has to be a spring time and all we have to do is just hold on. It's just hold on to the spring. Hold on to that time knowing that that, God has something on the other side for us. And so that's exciting just to know that.

And so throughout this entire month, we're going to be just reflecting on those different things, being just grateful and thankful for how the Lord has allowed us to be able to, see the change in lives, to, to be able to, to construct buildings, to be able to, witness to, young people and, and older people and to be able to, build a home for teenage pregnant moms and all of the different things that he's just graced us to be able to do.

And I think we, we, we're, we're excited just to be able to commemorate and to, to remember. And I think it's so important that we do that because a lot of times we get so busy. We get so, tied up in, in life that we don't take time to, to look at where the Lord has brought us. And we have to be mindful of where he has brought us from, and he has brought us from a mighty long way.

And so, The Lord is just doing some phenomenal things in our lives. And, and as I said, as we move forward with T Time, I know that the Lord is going to continue to give fresh ideas and insight, as we move forward. So I just want to say, you know, we, should really commit to commemorating the significant moments in our lives.

Drawing strength and, and encouragement from the memories of God's work in us, and his work through us. And in doing that, we not only honor the past, but we also inspire hope for the future. So I'm looking forward to, your stories. Let us know what you are commemorating, what you're celebrating, what God has done.

And I'm looking forward to what the Lord will continue to do through T Time. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for who you are. We thank you that you are just a holy God. And Lord, there are numerous, areas in the Bible where, we were, we were commanded to remember and, and, and where, those of old did remember the different things that you did.

And, and so help us always to be mindful of your, your goodness. And your grace and how your hand has been upon us. And, and I'm just reminded of your word that says that I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope, and so, Lord, we thank you that you've got great things in store.

forward to seeing you back in: 2025