In God's Image by Thomas L. Neely

In October of 2006 Allison and I went on a youth girls retreat (with our church) to a beautiful home in Ridgecrest, NC.  We stayed in the wonderful home of Dr. Thomas Neely and his lovely wife Audrey.  Dr. Neely's son and family attend the church I attend.  They lived in the back end of the house- nice and oh so cozy!  The rest of the house was used for retreats.

On the final night of our stay Dr. Neely and Audrey ate with us- shared about their life, sang a song to us:
We claim the blood of Jesus over us today
We bind the enemy forces along the way
In the name of Jesus we conquer every foe
Let Your angels guard us everywhere we go

There was something special about the Neely's.  I couldn't name it, but I "felt" it.

Then they gave the youth leaders a book Dr. Neely originally wrote, and self-published in 1970 (my birth year!).  "In God's Image", it had been published again in 2005 with a new cover.

In God's Image is a very small book.  6 chapters, 100 pages.  As a reader I thought, "This will be an easy read."

But later when I picked up the book it was like I had a mental block.  I couldn't really UNDERSTAND what was in it.  It was all good stuff, but it had- deeper stuff that I just couldn't grasp.  So, I put it up.

During the next two years my whole Christian way of understanding- was, I guess the best way to describe it is- all shook up.  Truths began to be taught that it was so hard to- grasp.  I tried so hard in my mind to understand what was being taught but my emotions were so confused.  My emotions quite frequently won the battle over the mind's understanding.

Then two years to the month of receiving the little book, In God's Image, God flipped my world upside down.  Not my physical world.  Not my material world.  He flipped my inner world- in my inner man- inside out and upside down.  He shook me up and shook me hard.

And like sand shook up in a bottle of water, truth began to settle and become evident.

God, Himself, began to reveal to me- unblinded eyes and unstopped ears- the Truth of Who He is and who I am because of Him.

In February of 2009 I came across this little book again.  I took it to Kentucky with me.  On the ride back home to SC I read the whole little book.

Lo and behold, I UNDERSTOOD it.  It was everything God had been revealing to me.

WOW! I HAD to see Dr. Neely again!  So I contacted the Neely's to see if I could come up- and they said yes.  Nick and I went up to visit and Dr. Neely was in such poor health but he did spend some time talking with me- as Audrey shared their story.  I also bought a few more of the books and others he wrote.  Dr. Neely also prayed for me.  I cherish that time together.  That was the last time I saw him.  He beheld Jesus face to face on December 23, 2010.

In 2006, Dr. Neely signed my book- "I hope you enjoy this little book."  Oh, Dr. Neely you have NO idea how much I do.  I cherish it!  Thank you for being a branch.  For abiding, trusting and resting in Christ.  For simply stating the truths of Who God is and who we are because of Him.