Well, the countdown is on; 3 more days at my current job, 5 more days until I start my new one. I don’t have the words to describe what kind of thoughts and emotions are running through me this week. I am excited, humbled, nervous, joyful, and so much more, all at once.
Let me take you back to August 2008 – this will enable me to tell you the whole story. So, there I sat in the old gym where The Gathering used to meet. Pastor Gene was delivering a message about full-time ministry. He talked about the call that God places on some people’s life. The entire service I could not sit still. Let me set the stage for you…I usually sat with the same group of people and I usually went to the 9 am service (we had 5 services back then!). That particular week was different. I went to the 10:30am service and I sat by myself. God knew what He was doing. So, alone I sat and the Holy Spirit was rocking my world. Pastor Gene gave an alter call for those who were being called by God into full-time ministry. I couldn’t get up fast enough and by the time I got near that alter, I had lost complete control of my emotions and to my knees I fell. I just laid there and begged God to use me. I confessed that I knew I had a disobedient past, that I was wretched and deserved a place in hell…not the grace of an Almighty God. But He promised me at that alter that He would not leave me the same. That He was preparing me for something so much greater than I imagined and that if I would trust Him, my life would be forever changed. If I had only known….
So here I sit, 18 months later, gearing up for the transition into full-time ministry. The story gets so much better, though. In December, during my quiet time, God had impressed upon me that beginning January 4, 2010 I would begin a fast. I won’t go into the details, they are still too private, but I knew that those 40 days would forever change my walk with Him. Little did I know, but He was about to give me a new assignment; one that will completely alter my world. Those who know me, spiritually, know that this is exactly what I was called to do.
People ask me if I am scared or worried, and my answer to them all is “no.” I know who is in control of my life, and it’s not me. All I would do is screw everything up. It’s one thing to say “God leads my path” and it’s another to walk that out. I didn’t realize back in 2008 just how much work He was going to do in me. I can look back over the years and see how every struggle and every valley was meant to strengthen, challenge, and prepare me for this one step. I look forward to the opportunity to make a Kingdom sized impact on this world. Today, I am standing on the promise of Proverbs 3:6 ~ in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
“Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high. Be treasured here, be glorified. I owe my life to you, O Lord, here I am.”
