Meredith L Curtis

"You're my first love Jesus"

"You’re my first love Jesus
You have captured my heart
I have pledged my life to you
To stay and not depart
I never dreamed you’d love me
The perfect way You do
I never needed anyone
As much as I need you
When I’m in Your Presence, Lord’
It takes my breath away
And I fall down on my knees again….”

Occupation:

Homemaker, Homeschool my five children

Description of Ministry in Church:

Worship Leader; mentoring women; leadership training, home school coop, Sunday School Teacher.

Ministry Goals for the future:

Deeper intimacy with Jesus in life, worship, and all ministries. Whatever the Holy Spirit is up to, I want to be part of it!!

Favorite Food:

Moose tracks ice cream; Filet Mignon; Shrimp Scampi; Green Beans; White Chocolate Reese Cups; Twizzlers

Favorite Book:

Master Plan of Evangelism; L’Abri; Prison to Praise; and any Agatha Christie murder mystery

Favorite Song:

Jesus, You Alone; Sing of Your Great Love; We Will Be There (Aaron Spiro); Unfailing Love

Favorite Singer/Group:

Chris Tomlin, Delirious?, SonicFlood, Keith Green, Hillsong United

Favorite Movie:

Sound of Music; You’ve Got Mail; Pride & Predjudice

Favorite Way to Spend Free Time:

The BEACH!! Playing games with family & friends. Worship & songwriting. The ballet & the orchestra. Writing. Reading murder mysteries. Long walks.

Personal Heroes:

My grandmother, Edith (Beezie) Schaeffer

Favorite Verse:

“But Zion said, ‘the LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget you, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hand; your walls are ever before me.” Isaiah 49:14-16

Most Meaningful Ministry Experience Has Been:

Mothering/Discipling/Homeschooling my children. WORSHIP!

“You’re my first love, Jesus
You have captured my heart
I will always love You
I will never stop
You rescued me from sin
Broke my chains in two
Power and holiness
flow into me from you
Your Presence in my life
takes my breath away
And I fall down on my knees again……”

Current Prayer Needs:

More of the Presence of God in my own life and church----JOY!!!!

Unity in Spirit and Purpose on Worship Team;

Church finances to release husband to Pastor only;

Land & building for Powerline;

Personal holiness;

Quiet Times & Anointing to be a wife, mother, friend, home school teacher, worship leader, mentor.

“You’re my first love, Jesus
You have captured my heart
I bring others needing you
“With lives torn apart
Rescue them from sin
Break their chains in two
Capture their hearts
Using me to be like You.
Your Presence through my life
It takes my breath away
And I fall down on my knees again….”

How I came to Christ:

God was always part of my life in the background. We attended church and were part of a warm, loving church family. My parents were wonderful and made me feel valuable, important and full of potential.

Memories come back to me. The dolls were lined up in imaginary pews and the toy box was an altar. I pretended to be a priest passing out bread and iced tea for communion. Then I sang and sang and sang. Always God was associated with singing, music and a happy heart.

Singing was also associated with happiness and security. My mom sang “Well, we ain’t got a barrel of money, and some say we’re ragged and funny, but we’ll travel along,…………” on the way to the grocery store (my children know the song now too!). We sang movie songs and made up silly songs to make each other laugh. As a young teenager I was able to join an adult traveling choir called The Tilted Halos. We were on the cutting edge back then with a huge seven foot bass, trumpets, tambourines, keyboards (!), and drums. We sang folk songs, updated hymns and brand new contemporary Christian music.

As a teenager, I listened to the radio constantly with the words to every single song memorized. My friends and I would head to the beach every Saturday with our “boom box” blasting all day. Teen years were a blur of fun and friendship mixed in with typical insecurities and foolish thinking. I investigated the new age movement, Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation, yoga, reincarnation and hypnosis. The Bible was a book of fairy tales to me and “Born-again” Christians were not very intelligent, in my book.

At sixteen, I was involved in a fatal car accident, losing a very dear friend. Her parents loved the Lord and poured out love and forgiveness to me (I was driving). Many bones and organs were broken, damaged and crushed in my body. Doctors told my parents that I might not ever be able to walk again or be able to carry children (my pelvis was crushed into little pieces). One of my doctors (I had 13!) was a Christian and he prayed everyday for my healing, along with my parents, family, and friends. Faith sprang up in my heart and I told people “God will heal me and I’ll have lots and lots of babies with natural childbirth!”

There were several surgeries, excruciating pain, sorrow and guilt over Jenny’s loss. I saw, for the first time ever, myself as a sinner running my own life in my own way. I gave my sinful, broken heart and shattered body to Jesus. Suddenly my “great wisdom” seemed unable to help and I turned to the God revealed in the Bible for truth, counsel and help.

Although there was one month in a wheelchair, JESUS HEALED ME!!!!!! He healed me completely!!!! Three months later, I was on the drill/dance team again and definitely walking!

With Jesus, came joy! I was amazed and filled with wonder that God would love me. Singing, kneeling, bowing down----there was not enough available to express my love for Jesus. I would sing to Him everywhere I went; often changing words to secular songs to love songs to my new King and Best Friend.

The Bible was like a magnet. I read and read and read. And Bible reading often led to worship. I joined Bible studies, attended every church service I could and sought out like-minded believers. My heart burned for those I loved to know Jesus too. I talked to them about Jesus constantly through my senior year in high school and on to college. Soon I had the great joy and privilege to lead friends to Jesus, disciple (help them get grounded in the faith), and finally help them to lead their friends to Jesus and start the process all over. What fun!! I loved serving the Lord.

In college, the Lord brought a handsome, godly young man into my life who shared my heart for the Kingdom of God, especially missions. We fell in love, courted throughout our sophomore, junior, and senior years and married one week after college graduation! (My dad’s stipulation: graduate from college before you get married.)

Two years later, I was pregnant with our first daughter and began having excruciating pain in my previously injured hip. We went to the elders. The elders of our church anointed me with oil, prayed and the pain left forever. Katie Beth was born completely naturally with no medication. Four more babies followed over the years the same way. God is good!!

One Sunday morning in a Sunday Celebration, I was half-heartedly singing a praise song when the Lord told me to stop singing and sit down. I obeyed. I then sensed the Lord begin to instruct me about worship. “I am worthy of singing with all your heart, giving me your full attention, and putting all your strength and energy into praising me.” From that moment on, worship took on a new dimension for me. No matter how I felt physically or emotionally, I chose each time I worshipped to sing, lift hands, clap, bow down, etc. with all of my heart, mind and strength. God honored my obedience and each time I worship, He encourages me, speaks to me, or touches me with His Presence.

Worship is the highlight of my life! There is nothing I look forward to more than being in Heaven and worshipping Jesus forever!!!!