Mark 10:29-31 touched my heart as I remember what God has done for me and through me, “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred time as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (NIV)
This took me to the time of great joy when I was accepted to go to Tobago. I immediately shared this joy with a dear friend. She did not share my joy and, in fact, when we got together, she was so angry with me that she told me that she did not want to have any further contact with me. I left her place in tears…I was crushed! How could my going to Tobago to serve the Lord cause this sort of reaction? Then the Lord reminded me and I knew in my heart that the evil one had used her to try and discourage me from going. WOW! I had to forgive her and honor her request of no further contact.
I had several other encounters that made me question as to whether I should be going to Tobago but each time, it seemed that God impressed upon me through His Word how much more He wanted to use me. Sometimes it is not something we can totally explain but just know in our hearts that God is calling us to a mission.
He calls each of us to different missions, some right where we are and others are on foreign soil. And still others are foreign but right where you are planted. I should have been ready to retire, to enjoy life but here I am just starting a new life. I live to serve Him and when I can no longer serve, it will be time for me to be with the Father. Will my service change? Of course it will. It has changed over and over during my walk with Him. I see life as an adventure and wonder what is the next step? He teaches me, oh, may I be willing to grasp what He is teaching me the first time!
The announcement is coming but I wanted you all to see what I have been up to, going through writings, journals and thoughts of the past few years. How God took a broken person so many years ago and started changing my heart from self-focused to others focused and yes, He continues to teach me that lesson. How God took a reject from her birth, rejected by so many and loved me through the reading of His Word and taught me to look beyond that hurt. To reach out to those who are hurting and show them Jesus.
He is teaching me that the more I give of myself, the happier I am. He is now using an old lady, who almost gave up on life several time, to do His will. In this, I want to encourage each of you to never give up on serving the Lord. To die to self and live fully in Him.
Through the years, as I have told story after story of the adventures that the Lord has sent me on, I’ve had people say, “you should write a book about that”. And it has finally started. Many of the stories are already on paper and some are still in my head but this isn’t about me. It is about how God can use someone who is broken for His glory. And if He can use me, He can use you. I have sinned but He has taken that sin upon Himself for me and you. He longs for each of us! Can you imagine? I wish I’d learned that lesson a long time ago, then I wouldn’t have been searching for love in all the wrong places. But, through the trials and pain, He has used it all for His glory in serving Him to the fullest.
With that, I announce that number three book is being compiled and hopefully will be published by the end of the year. Please pray that He be glorified through it all.
Комментарии