God Has Amazing Things for You to Do - Don’t Miss Them!
I have just survived a wonderful and long week of vacation Bible school at First Baptist Church. I accepted Christ as my savior in VBS at around 9 years old. I have made a point to work in vacation Bible schools all my life. I made sure my children and grandchildren went. I’ve directed departments in VBS, but I have never been the children’s minister of a church before, leading the entire VBS. It was a totally different experience and took all my skills as an administrator in Public schools, the skills I learned as an instructional coach, and the things I learned as a realtor - sales, promotion, confidence, and tenacity. It was a great success. God blessed, and I thank him for preparing me long in advance for the task of serving him as a children’s minister. I guess it takes some longer to be prepared than others.
I could have missed the great blessing of being used by God -- having the privilege of touching lives of children for Christ. Right now, many people think I am crazy for turning away from my most recent career in real-estate, when I had invested 3 years and was finally turning a decent profit as a 100% agent. Others think I should be taking it easy and enjoying my grandchildren, just enjoying the fruit of my retirement as a public educator. Some of you that are a part of the Cleburne Christian Women’s Job Corps and know me as the Executive Director of this wonderful non-profit in Cleburne, would prefer that I devote my entire time to growing this great ministry.
I don’t think God would have withdrawn his blessings from me if I had kept a lid on my activities and said, "No, I don’t think I’m interested in a new work for God as a children’s minister". I think if my reasoning was that I was doing all I could do and I was afraid my other work would suffer if I took on something new, that God would honor my decision, my heart felt idea to always do my best for him.
However, God had pricked my heart several years ago about being a children’s minister. He had assured me that I could do this for him. I had told God that if the position came up again at my church I would apply and let him take care of the outcome. When the position did come up, as busy and happy as I was, God reminded me of my promise to him.
This was the moment. Would I renege on my promise to God? I never expect him to default on a promise, so I sucked in my gut, prayed with my husband, and contacted my pastor, praying that God’s will be done. In this free-fall I felt God’s exhilaration, knowing that there was no way I could do what lay ahead without God’s continuous empowerment. It would be him all the way. It is really hard to explain this free feeling.
God did see fit to give me the position as children’s minister, and I felt it was the right thing for me not to accept money for the position. Not logical I know, but God’s impression on the matter was clear. I also knew I needed to say goodbye to my days as a realtor, which cut our family's income by half. I promised 20 hours a week as a children’s minister planning on continuing my 20 hours a week as the Executive Director of CWJC, my other gift from God. I tell you I am energized by the ministries that God has given me. He has made what should be impossible, possible, and shown me favor. This summer God even blessed me with a Children's Ministry Intern to share the load. He amazes me.
I’m telling you of my journey because I want you to be aware that God very likely has an even greater plan for you than you can conceive yourself. Don’t put a box around yourself. Be open for the miraculous in your life, even when it doesn’t make worldly sense. Maybe you have a nagging feeling about an area or opportunity that God wants to change in your life, and you just can’t see clearly how that can happen, but you can’t shake the feeling that you are supposed to act. Maybe God needs you to open that door and walk through it even when you see nothing on the other side and others are urging you to keep it closed. Listen for God’s voice. Tune into him. Get on his frequency. Then you will know that the victory has already happened. You can walk forward in confidence because if God is leading you (and Satan sure isn’t wanting you to be obedient to God) then you can rest in the outcome. Everything will work out. Here is where you find peace. Follow Old Testament leaders like Samuel who at a young age said to God, “Speak, for your servant is listening,” (1 Samuel 3:10). Then act. You will see God work.
From the other side of obedience, I can tell you that God provides for those he calls. He is good. He is enough.
