The Crab Apple Tree

If I am out of place on Parish Council, then I am an Imposter First Class on the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Diocesan Executive Committee.  Who am I to teach anybody to pray!  This too, I joined because I was asked; I did it as a favor--in my mind (maybe not his)--for Andreas, and also to serve God.  I was asked; what greater sign can you be given?  On top of being an imposter, I have missed not one, but every committee meeting in the entire past year.  But, I e-mailed Andreas (or Fr. Andy as I once jokingly called him) and asked him if I could help;  I felt unneeded, unwanted, and guilty for not helping more.  So, off I went to the Bishop's Prayer Conference, hosted by the AFP.  The Bishop didn't show this year, a dissapointment to many.  However, I loved the keynote speaker.  Canon Ann was great.  A lot of what she said resonated with me, spoke to me, sounded familiar.  She spoke of how she had a simple faith, of how she believed everything in the Bible was true; if it says Jesus cast out demons, he did.  If it said he healed, he did.  She spoke of how she had what I call a valley in her faith journey, about how she had a vision while passing a crab apple tree.  It was just an ugly bare crab apple tree.  The LORD said, "It will bloom again."  Canon Ann took this to be a message for her that she and her faith would bloom again.  She spoke about how she used to feel like an imposter, acting her way through it.  She spoke of journaling.  I write many journals, including this blog.  She told stories about faith healings.  She spoke of healing prayer, and those who miraculously recovered.  I found her very refreshing.  She even gave me an idea for the renaming of this blog, which I have since forgotten because I'm a dumb @$$.  She spoke and spoke and spoke.  She said so much that resonated with me that I don't think I can write it all down here.  God bless her and people with faith like her faith.  God willing, may I bloom again, in Jesus' name.  Amen.