Has it
really been 4 months since my last post?
I have no
excuse, a lot of conviction but no excuse. Which I will get to in my next post….
Stay tuned!
Every year
for the past several years I have chosen a life verse for the year. This
has been an amazing process to see what God through His word claimed in my
life. I love it and so I continue that tradition this year.
Funny
enough, the verse that the Lord usually brings to me is not one I always like
or would pick for myself. For example, a few years ago, nearly toward
the end of January, the Holy Spirit kept revealing Exodus 14.14 to me. In the
Message Exodus 14.14 reads
"God
will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!"
Now, for any
of you who know me, even a little bit, keeping my mouth shut is not a gift of
mine! And when I am confronted, at any
point, I feel the obligation, nay even the responsibility
to defend myself, my family, my friends, my reputation, even the truth! But God
impressed upon me the absolute necessity to let Him handle whatever I was
facing. It took several weeks for me to completely
understand how the Holy Spirit was using this word in my life for His glory,
but little by little, challenge by challenge, I learned. Throughout that entire year God gently
reminded me of His promise to fight and my responsibly to let him. This lesson even spilled over into learning
to be submissive to my husband. And time
after time God proved faithful and I learned yet another aspect of His true
love for me. I am sure there were
several in my circle of friends who may have gotten sick of hearing “Exodus
14.14” but I believe it impacted their lives as well. Learning to be still is
not a lesson that is soon forgotten.
Exodus 14.14 NIV
“The LORD
will fight for you; you need only to be still."
I could go
on and on with similar stories of God’s faithfulness when I have applied His Word
to my life, but, I would like to tell you about my verse for 2013 and how it came
to be.
Last year in
December of 2012, I received my bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries. I have been ordained as a pastor since July
of 2011. I received the called into full
time vocational ministry in October 2003.
I have been waiting on God for his provision for 10 years. Sometimes I wonder if this is how Sarah felt
waiting for God’s promise. OK, that may
be a stretch, but I feel the ache of being pregnant with the promise of God yet
wonder when He will deliver.
I have been
blessed to see those I have mentored and discipled step into the calling that
God has promised for them. And while I
rejoice with them, there are slight pangs of discouragement. Why not me?
Am I doing something wrong? Am I
not friendly enough? Not pretty
enough? Then my girl-flesh kicks in and
if I were to entertain my rampant imagination, I would end up questioning every
single little thing about me, from my character to my calling to my hair color!
(Which, by the way, is quickly fading to grey)
So for the
past few months, I have been trying to focus on the ways that God is using me
for His glory, in spite of my lack of a place to punch in to do it. I have been stepping out of my comfort zone
to try new things with new people in ministry and I have been blessed. I have been celebrating what God is doing in
spite of my lack of a title or position.
I have shared salvation with the dying and seen lives change. I am not afraid to get my hands messy in the
midst of ministry, vocational or not. I
have even considered going to work in a secular job and using my giftedness to share
the Good News that way. Yet, no.
I do not
want to be like Sarah and try to force God’s will, so I wait. In the meantime I will be faithful to what he
has called me to. So I prepare myself and
when the time is ready I will take up the mantle just as Elisha did with Elijah’s
mantle (2 Kings 2.13)
Which brings
me to my verse for 2013. I am called of God. I do have a work to do. I am being
used for His glory. It has taken me a
long time to separate my calling from a job. (Which is reasonable since I am a
pastor!) But in my case, I need to separate the two, or wallow in self-pity
because I can’t find a church which is willing to even interview me! So, I am trusting
God. Verse of the year for 2012 was
Habakkuk 3.2 “But these things I plan won't happen right
away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be
fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It
will not be delayed.”
Continuing
His work in my life, God has impressed upon me for the 2013 calendar year I
will be claiming
Isaiah 61.1-3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he
has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the
day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those
who mourn in Zion-- to give them a beautiful headdress
instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they
may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that
he may be glorified.
I posted
this scripture to my social media site and was truly encouraged by many
people. One comment in particular was
complete and total affirmation for me. My
friend said….
“My friend I can personally attest to the fact that you are
well on your way to this well before 2013…. You are a poster child for this
verse! You have been a rock to me and many others. Your friendship and support
seem to have no end, even when contact is sparse, I know I could call on you
any time and you'll be there. Thank you for everything! You are a good and
faithful servant!”
What more
could I ask for?
Praising God
because His Spirit is upon me, with or without a “job”!
