Monday, March 29, 2010

being part of the Body

These videos are from Sunday a week ago. We were having a special "I'm In" service, a recommitment to being actively involved at Pinedale, but more importantly committing to truly being an active part of the Body of Christ.

It was very powerful.

After a few testimonies of how God and the Body of Christ had worked in several people's lives, we gave our testimony as to how the Body of Christ has helped us through.

(These videos are long, so I would press play and then immediately press pause if they are lagging and talk amongst yourselves or surf elsewhere while they load and buffer. Then press play again.)

Oh yeah, please excuse the shakiness. At the beginning Bill (our preacher) asked Jonah's parents to stand up wherever we were (we were up in the balcony) so I put my camera down by my side (while still recording) while we stood. Sorry. (The rest of the shakiness I have no excuse for. I was just shaky.)



This one is the Cardboard Testimonies. I had seen online video of it from other churches, and loved it, but it is even more powerful when it's people you know and love personally.

The girl singing, Katelyn, also sang at Gabe's funeral. She gives me chills.

My good friend, Gina, who I have mentioned on the blog often (owns the diner with the good chicken stew, was the ring leader in decorating the basement, organized meals for us, helps with dressing change, got drinks donated to Jonah's party etc.) is the one who was healed from stage three cancer and does an "oh yeah" dance when she flips her card. I love her. :)



This is the song we sang directly after the Cardboard Testimonies. It's Chris Tomlin's version of Amazing Grace. I recorded it because this is one of the two songs I sang for Jonah ALL of the time during our long days in the NICU. I thought it was divinely fitting that it was the song that followed the testimonies. I'm sure others would say the same.

The woman singing at the beginning is Aimee. She also has an AMAZING voice. She is the one we were planning on keeping Jonah before we knew he was going to have so many special needs. She still helps me with dressing change every other Monday, and is one of the many women at Church who have been a huge support and saving grace to me.

I know I can't do justice to the service by just posting these few videos, but I hope, if nothing else, it makes you realize (if you don't already know) the power of being part of the Body of Christ and having a Church family of your own. I can honestly say that I don't know how we would have come through Gabe's death and Jonah's challenges without our Pinedale Family. They have truly been the hands and feet of Jesus to us. I know we're exactly where we are supposed to be. THANK GOD!

26 comments:

adoptingmama said...

I've been reading your blog for quite a while now...thank you for being a living testimony to Christ! Wonderful post! Your love for your fellow Christians is evident as is their love for you and your dear family! May God continue to cover you in HIS love.

Laura said...

The testimonies were great! Thanks for sharing.

Laura S.

Laura A said...

Beautiful. What a special testimony! It's so neat to see God's body at work - and how God's love spans across churches, states, and even here into bloggy-world! Thank you SO much for sharing.

I hope you're feeling better, and that Jonah hasn't caught anything. Still praying!

Love from TX!
Laura

Just Diane said...

I cried the whole way through the cardboard testimonies. I can relate to a few a them myself. Thank you for sharing, Patrice. Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

Oh Patrice, how wonderful of you to share these. I love cardboard tesitmonies, I find myself crying and whispering AMEN with eacha nd every one! Also, I have to say that Jonah's face looks amazing in recent photos/video...he has captured the hearts of our entire family. We check in on you guys daily. We will never stop praying ( and praising!!!)to God on your family's behalf!

. said...

Awesome! The power of God so evident in the cardboard testimonies. Thank you for sharing!!

Lisa said...

Every time I see cardboard testomonies, my heart swells to the point of bursting just knowing the Unending Mercy and Gracy God gives us each and every day. God is so very good and faithful.
Jonah is looking like a very handsome big boy these days, he is growing so fast!

Anonymous said...

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I think the cardboard testimonies are so cool and so powerful! It's great to have a church body to support you. I don't know what people do if they don't have God in their lives, and don't have the support of the body of Christ!

~Amy

The Lesters said...

I've always loved Cardboard Testimonies. What an awesome display of Gods grace and mercy.

Anonymous said...

Patrice, thank you so much for sharing that video of the cardboard testimonies.... I am sobbing... just SOBBING! I've gotten so much closer to God in the last few months and am SO grateful for that... and I also have a brother who struggles with addiction and has 2 little girls who I'm like a mom to, so it was SO amazing to see so many people's testimonies be about recovering from drug addiction.. i Hope and pray that will be my brother one day!!!!!! <3 *Megan from WI*

teacheroftwos said...

I am so excited aboout the Cardboard testimonies. Our church is doing them for Easter Sunday and I cannot wait to participate!

Lisa said...

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

junglemama said...

Love the card board testimonies. We participated when our church did the same thing last year.

If you could point me in the direction where I could read up on EB, I would love a link. Blessings.

The Hill Family said...

I loved the post, obviously, but I just had to comment on how great Jonah's face is looking in the video!! Are you still able to lay him down for naps? If so, then he is doing great at not rubbing his face!! Is it creepy that this complete stranger, mom of three small sons of her own, loves YOURS this much? Congrats on being the mom of such a "chill" kid!
Tiffany
www.takeahillpill.blogspot.com

Tayarra said...

I love this post. I wish I had time to watch all of the cardboard testimonies but I am going to have to come back to that. What an amazing walk you all are walking. I know it feels nowhere close to that sometimes, but you guys are changing people's lives. I am just in love with little Jonah and he has so much happiness in those eyes. I know as a parent, THAT is what really matters. I don't think I have commented on here before, but have been reading for awhile now. My almost 4 year old son looked at some pictures with me the other day on your site. I wish I would have caught it on camera. He got the biggest smile on his face and said, "AWH, look at that little baby" (He said it like he was the most adorable child on earth!)

Sara said...

I can never get through Cardboard Testimonies with dry eyes! They are so powerful!

Anonymous said...

I never cease to be surprised at the love God has put in our family's heart(s) for Jonah--we truly love him like we know him! He's adorable, precious, sweet--and funny!, and our family is praying for a long, long life for Jonah--an EB & pain free one. That's how the Skipper's are praying!

Happy and tired said...

Oh you make me cry. What a wonderful thing to share. THANK YOU!

Beth Herring said...

Patrice - that is just amazing. I am praying that one day Jonah will be up there holding his cardboard that says "Healed in Jesus Name from EB!" - Yes, Lord - we know You are the healer and can do it in Jonah's life!

In Him,
Beth

Claire said...

Thank you so much for sharing these videos, sweetie. The testimonies made me cry!

Cxx

purejoy said...

i'm so thankful that you are part of a loving body of Christ. i bawled through the cardboard testimonies. i've done one of those myself and it's so powerful. i didn't know anyone on your video, but i cried tears of joy of God's restoring touch.
that's my favorite version of amazing grace. makes me bawl. like. a. baby. every. time.
thanks for sharing.

McCullough Family said...

I have never seen cardboard testimonies before-how courageous! Thanks for sharing.

dragonflyz in June said...

Wow Patrice! The cardboard testimonies brought tears to my eyes! Such a beautiful place to call your second home. Thank you for sharing these peeks into Pinedale.
Peace & Blessings
Crystal

emily ebeling said...

ok, the cardboard confessions had me crying. a lot. and these are my brothers and sisters in Christ's body- how amazing. thanks for sharing!!

Erin said...

These were just awesome! thanks so much for sharing with us.

Melissa said...

What a beautiful church family you have! I watched all three videos and can definitely see that this was a very moving service. Praise God for placing you in your spiritual family, knowing as He does what is to come and how you would need them. He is so good.

Jonah just keeps getting cuter. And cuter. And cuter.

Praying still, loving from afar.

Blessings,
Melissa