1st Presbyterian Church Coeur d'Alene ID
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Crazy, Amazing LOVE

4/25/2022

6 Comments

 
The peak of the Easter celebration has crested; yet the joy, gratitude, and reverence of this mystical event continues to resonate in my thoughts. I am always overwhelmed by the truth that God’s love is so crazy amazing. To know that the Father, God-almighty, yet also all-vulnerable, would give his only begotten Son so that whosoever would believe in him, would have life everlasting and the Spirit indwelling; well, this is Crazy, Amazing 
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Yvette Wyatt
LOVE.  (‘Whosoever’- isn’t this a wonderful and hope-filled word?) Yet Easter didn’t always have a meaning of rescue and redemption for me.
​

The cliché of ‘getting out of the forest in order to see the trees’ is a useful figure of speech to describe my spiritual 20/20 hindsight. In my second part of life, I can look back and clearly see how Christ, in his ‘perfect for me’ way, was not only real and present in my life, but — also in his perfect timing and preparation — revealed his participation in my journey. It is ‘God’ to whom I prayed in childhood times of fear and worry. Jesus, the baby, had something to do with Christmas. Advent candles were lit as a countdown to Christmas. When I started sporadically attending a junior high youth group, via The Joy Bus, my mother gifted me a copy of The Living Bible. Then, because it seemed important to be married in a church, I chose the Methodist Church where my best friend had been married. Slowly, Jesus Christ was drawing me close to him through events and relationships.

After marriage, we moved to McMinnville, Oregon, where Jim attended Linfield College. Through a friendship at work, we were invited to attend the Church of Christ in the small neighboring town of Amity. It was there that I accepted Jesus as my personal savior and was baptized — immersion-style. (I was 6 months pregnant with our third child, Michael, and was worried — needlessly — that I wouldn’t go under because of the baby bubble. It gives me joy to say that Michael was baptized twice: first, in utero; second, in FPC.) My baptism became a milestone marker in my faith journey.

Prior to baptism, I had experienced coincidental “miracles” and subtle promptings which hinted of ‘a God thing.’ Those small events that one could either pay attention to or easily push aside. Yet, when I arose from my immersion, I literally heard the Lord speak out loud in my mind with what I call a teeter-totter message. First: “I am pleased by your obedience.” This was IMMEDIATELY followed by a seeming conviction to humility: “Understand this is not your doing, but Mine.” As my faith was in its infancy, my understanding was also simple and immature. Though I felt both the personal pleasure of my Lord, and then a directive to humility, there was something more of the truth that was just beyond my grasp.  (Apparently, I needed to hear the humility directive as clearly as possible, as ‘pride’ is truly ‘the thorn in my side.’)

Now after three decades (almost as long as the Israelites wandered the desert) of living and learning in the middle of God’s crazy, amazing love, I realize why it is so overwhelming. It is the grace of God. God’s grace. God-almighty and God-all-vulnerable. While it may seem obvious, it is totally beyond simplistic in that it is given both individually and universally. It was personal and pointed in my conversion experience at baptism. I heard it as ‘I did this for you.’ Yet it is offered to ‘whosoever’ believes that Jesus, the Son of Man died, and rose again as Jesus Christ.

Certainly, Christ’s personal giving of grace is total joy on its own, but the importance of the personal is that it allows me to see the universal perspective. If God’s grace is for me, me with that ugly thorn of pridefulness, me who is also included in ‘whosoever,’ then it is only a single, grace-granted step to seeing that the Christ living in me lives everywhere. And this individual step toward the perspective of universal grace is where it gets exciting. This is where the work of kingdom-building can happen. This is where revival is activated. This is where Love1st becomes a beacon to those needing the message of this amazing grace. It is thrilling to be at First Presbyterian Church in this time of exploding grace.

The Christ in me greets the Christ in thee.
Peace, Yvette Wyatt
Ephesians 2:8 
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
6 Comments
Carolyn Keefer
4/27/2022 06:29:48 am

Thank you for sharing your beautiful story of faith. I've always admired your cheerful, loving outlook. Now reading your "faith story" I admire you all the more. You are truly a humble and loving servant.
Thank you for being such a strong, loving leader for our church. Your love for the Lord shines through!

Reply
Yvette
4/27/2022 07:04:17 am

Carolyn,
Your words- as always- are affirming and encouraging. It is exciting to see the love of Christ shining through the whole church family. In every corner something good is happening - everyone it seems is stepping beyond their usual to share their talents for God’s glory. Many people are feeling the wonderful spiritual electricity going on in our small, yet faithful downtown church.
Thank YOU for being a spark in the swirl. 💜

Reply
Jackie Velez
4/27/2022 10:02:46 am

I loved your faith journey story Yvette. You are an amazing and wonderful person we are proud to be serving with you on session.

Reply
Yvette
4/27/2022 08:44:21 pm

Dear Jackie,
I too am grateful to work alongside you on Session. And it’s been an added bonus to have opportunities to begin to know you and John on a deeper level.
Warmly, Yvette

Reply
Donna Brundage link
4/27/2022 12:49:40 pm

Thank you for sharing your beautiful story and very relevant insights. Always - the message come when you most need to hear it - you just need to listen...

Reply
Yvette
4/27/2022 08:55:39 pm

Donna,
What a joy it is to hear that a bit of my journey has now connected to yours.what a perfect example of our compassionate Jesus Christ’s crazy, amazing love.
Peace, Yvette

Reply



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  • Home
    • Connect With Us >
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  • Who We Are
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      • Blogs >
        • Blog Archive 2021
        • Blog Archive 2020
    • Elders, Deacons & Ministry Teams >
      • Christmas Families
      • Annual Clothing Givewaway
    • History >
      • Past Ministers
    • What Presbyterians Believe
    • Annual Reports
  • Ministries
    • Children & Families
    • Youth
    • Missions
    • Serve >
      • Choir
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      • Ecumenical Kitchen
      • Family Promise
      • Handbell Choir
      • Knitting for Warmth
      • Praise Team
      • Reception Team
    • Grow >
      • Book Studies
      • Men's Fellowship
      • Presbyterian Women
      • Sunday Bible Study
      • Women's Circles
    • Connect >
      • Dinners at 6-ish
      • Flying Solo
  • Sundays
    • Classic Worship
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