Valerie Rae Hanneman
“For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? …” Isaiah 43:19, NLT
I am not real good at remembering dates. I am good at remembering holidays because of the sales that always accompany them. I have my birthday down and my mom’s birthday. I remember my sister Cyndi’s birthday because it is Christmas Day - but my other sister and two brothers I only remember their birthday months. With my children I remember their birthdays (and the time they were born and their weight and length) I don’t remember the anniversary of when I met their father, nor of when we broke up for good. I don’t remember my wedding date - sometime in April - nor when I was legally divorced. I remember the year I graduated - but not the date.
I have a tendency to remember the days that have had the most impact on my life - usually an impact that has been a positive change in my life. I am about to celebrate the third in a series of special dates that have taken on a special significance for this year. On the second Sonday in October I had my 9th anniversary of the first time I attended Fresno First Baptist. I am now in my 10th year of attending Fresno First. On the Sonday between Christmas and New Year’s I celebrated the 9th anniversary of when I joined the church - I am now in my 10th year of commitment to this church. On this upcoming January 17th I will celebrate the 9th anniversary of becoming an “official” member of FFBC and the 10th year of this church’s commitment to me.
I am truly astounded by these dates. With the exception of my family - I have never committed to anything for as long as I have been committed to this church. When I say that I am committed to this church, please understand that my true commitment is to God - Whom I worship, grow within and serve through my church.
I look back at the woman who first walked into FFBC with her two kids in tow - and I don’t hardly recognize her anymore. If you would have told that woman that not only would she still be attending church ten years later - but that God would be the Cornerstone of her life, she would have laughed so hard she would have had to change her underwear - but here I am. If you told that woman that she would be the lead volunteer in a neighborhood children’s program, she would have answered that she barely tolerated her own children - but here I am. If you would have told that woman who hid behind walls she constructed against the world that she would reveal the good, the bad and the ugly in her life through her writings she would have suggested that maybe your meds needed adjusting - but here I am. The truth is that the woman that I was back then could not even begin to conceive of the woman that I am today. But here I am.
It is plain to see that Jesus has made much of me. He made me brand new.
He made much of me first when He called me into relationship with Him. He has made much of me these past nine years by transforming me from a broken, sad woman to a woman who dances with joy within His love. And here is the best part! He has much more to make of me! I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that should Jesus tarry and I have another 10 years on this planet that is not my home, I will look back on my life within Him and marvel at how much more He has made of me.
I am everything that I am because He has made much of me. In gratitude, my desire is to make much of Him. I want to make much of Him through my worship by making it deeper and more pure. I want to make much of Him by growing even closer to Him, by learning more of Him. I want to make much of Him when I serve Him by keeping Him my focus. But most of all - I want to make much of Him with my life. I want my words, my actions and my thoughts to show how important Jesus is to me
I wonder how much more He is going to be able to make of me - if I make much of Him.
My LORD Jesus, tears of joy fill my eyes as I look back over these years and see how much You have made of me. I am Yours, and I want to make much of You with everything that I am. Teach me to make much of You.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of FFBC at valerie@fresnofirst.org