This Far By Faith

I was sitting at my desk working on a PowerPoint for work. On the web stream, I was listening to Ablazin' Grace Gospel. Nice.

Then it happened: ***Sha-zam!!!***

I was a little girl with braids and knee high white sheer socks and patent leather maryjanes. Just the first line of the song from the computer speakers took me back to Macedonia Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas in the early 1970's. Sunday morning, eleven o'clock service... the church is packed.I could almost hear the music slowly fade into the fabulous sound of the filled to over-flowing choir loft singing:

We've come this far-ar-ar by faith,
Leaning on....the Lo-ord!!!
Trustin' in His Holy Word....
He's never fail-ail-ailed me ye-et!!!
Oh,oh-oh-ohhh,oh-oh-ohhh!
Can't turn arou-ou-ound.... We've come this far-ar-ar by fai-aith!!!!

I can hear my Momma singing along... I can feel the fans waving. I can hear a sister near the back shouting to the Lord.

And then **** Sha-zam!!!****... I'm back to my desk....

A warm feeling lingers. I know that I've come this far by faith. I think about the faith of my Momma, and I know... I can't turn arou-ou-ound....
And in heaven, I'll be around saints singing praises and hear Momma singing and sisters and brothers shouting to the Lord.

...we've come this fa-a-ar by faith!!!!