Sunday Brunch With Fiery Wife- Jalon and Mallothi

Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! -Ps. 150:6

Today at church, I had a couple of proud momma moments. Today's service was a little different as there was no sermon but a cluster of testimonies fellow congregants shared. Two personally touched me. The first was from a woman who sings on the worship team and the other, from a man who was to be baptized that day.

Jalon's text telling me she was indeed going to share her 

testimony. She truly is a hilarious woman and I have great 

fun teaching her and in turn learning from her example of 

Godly obedience. 

I asked my friend/team member/student whom we shall call Jalon*, (which means abiding, 1 Chronicles 4:17) to share her testimony about finding her voice on this particular Sunday. She was hesitant at first and I understood. There is a vulnerability about sharing the personal workings of God in your life to a mass of people whose reactions and responses you cannot control. But I waited for her response. And waited. And then I forgot to call Jalon back by the deadline I gave her. Then we played phone tag. I was "it" she was "it"....... So, when I saw a text from her, I braced myself for the "no" I surely believed she was going to deliver.

But instead, Jalon said her testimony was ready and asked me if she could read it to me over the phone. Over. The. Moon. Excited. I tried to compose myself while on the phone and relocated to the bedroom so I could fully concentrate on her words without the distraction of my 2 little friends screaming and running and shooting nerf guns and dollar store arrows whizzing across the tip of my nose and Uh-Oh the dog pouncing on my feet and causing me to coil and not so secretly desiring to punch that dog her in her ribcage. I lay on my bed, ready to listen and allow the words to be absorbed into my core.

Jalon spoke, and it was beauty. God's beauty couldn't help but radiate from the words on her computer screen. She shared her struggle with having a very strong voice (presence) with family and friends but being reduced to a knotty bundle of timidity and hesitation on Sunday mornings no matter how much she practiced. She understood that her fears of disappointing leadership (me of all people!) and singing the wrong notes were an attack of the Evil One to silence her very strong, very powerful voice.

I had the privilege to witness Jalon find her voice for the first time. During a lesson I taught, I asked her to sing "ugly"; the worst she could do and do it loud and strong. It was ugly. Poor placement, bad tone, off pitch. Everything was wrong. But I wanted her to face her worst fears and then laugh about them. I desired God to allow her to understand those things had no power! And we laughed and laughed some more. It was horrible! I then asked her to sing "pretty"; the best she could do while still maintaining the volume of her "ugly" voice. Instantaneously, the timidity came back and it broke my heart.

"Stop it Jalon!" I surprised myself with my boldness. "Sing it ugly again." That second "ugly" time something broke free. Jalon opened her mouth and this full-bodied southern sweetness emerged from her lips. I was so happy for her! I was excited that God allowed me to witness His work in her life. She sang only a couple of lines from the song and then began to weep. I stopped playing the piano. Honestly, woman tears freak me out. I never know what to do with them. Maybe I don't need to feel obligated to do anything with them. But I tried to keep my cool.  After a long pause, I asked "What is it?" I didn't know if these were "you're pushing me way too far" tears or some other more joyful variant.

"Jalon, what is it?"
Through her tears she explained "I heard my voice how God hears my voice and it was beautiful."
Our lesson was done for that day. To hear her tell this same story from her perspective today was encouraging. From her testimony came the realization that God wants me to find my voice as a church leader. God is calling me to order some things in my life; spiritually and practically so I can be a better leader to the people God has called me to lead.

Mallothi being baptized by Pastor. Mallothi had 

family from all over the country come to witness this. His 

ex-wife even came out to celebrate this occasion! 

The next testimony, was given by a man whom we shall call Mallothi* (which means fullness/circumcision, 1 Chronicles 25:4). Today, Mallothi was baptized and I had the privilege of hearing his testimony. Mallothi is dear to my heart because he was the first person to come to know the Lord through our 3rd annual Christmas event.
During the preparation for the 2013 Christmas concert, I was seriously contemplating whether this would be our last. We, as believers, are called to go make disciples (Matt. 28:19, Acts 1:8). Although our Christmas events were well attended, I hadn't seen any disciples made, no conversions had......nada. Nothing but a pretty and well-attended performance. Well-attended doesn't equal success in the kingdom of God so I was ready to have a conversation with my pastor and 86 our next concert to make room for what God had planned for me and my church. But we had to get through this event, so I prayed for just one person to come to the Lord that evening.

 Mallothi is a neighborhood man who attended (through an outreach invitation the previous week) the 2013 Christmas event. At the end, our pastor gave an altar call and Mallothi recommitted his life to God that night. I was overjoyed. Mallothi began regularly attending our church and his life began to transform right in front of us. Again, I was given the privilege of observing this transformation God had initiated in him. Mallothi shared today in front of a full sanctuary, his transformation. He spoke of his decades long struggle with drug addictions and how he had been fully drug free now for 2 months! The room erupted in praises to God with a standing ovation. It was great! Mallothi had a fullness in God's presence. God had circumcised some significant hinderances from his life. He had about a dozen family members from all over the country come to see him get baptized. They too were overjoyed.

I had the opportunity after service to tell Mallothi how I full-heartedly believed we put on that Christmas play/concert just for him. God had wanted him so bad He wooed him through music and acting and the prayers and tears of His servants. And it worked! God was yet again victorious! Mallothi's testimony encouraged me to never give up just as God never gives up on His people.

So, like a proud momma, I snapped pictures and cheered and applauded (and squealed a little) these two wonderful creations of God. I am humbled that I was witness to some pretty awesome events in their lives. Thank you Jalon, the One Who Abides in God's call; the one who sticks with it when many others would have cowered and disappeared. Thank you Mallothi, the One Whose Heart was Circumcised and now has a fullness and abundance of God to see him along the rest of his journey. You are an encouragement to me and my faith walk with God.  

*Names in this post were changed but the people are definitely living and real. It wouldn't be a Fiery Wife Blogpost if everyone weren't anonymous!

Sunday Brunch happens every Sunday as a spiritual encouragement for readers of the Fiery Wife blog. Come back next week and see what God is serving up for you to eat. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps. 34:8)".