Last night I had the pleasure to sit and listen to my youth pastor teach at church. Since most every other pastor had taken off to Miami for an outreach event called Cross The Bridge, Pastor DA took the pulpit (or chair & table). Being a Calvary Chapel church he opened up God's word and went verse by verse through Ephesians 3 and gave a testimony to the work of God in his own life.
As I sat there and listened to pastor DA preach about the burning fire that God ignited in his chest many years ago, I was encouraged in something that the Lord has recently placed upon my heart.
"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" Ephesians 3:8
A little over a week ago the Lord brought me to a point in which I had to face something that He had placed on my heart over 10 years ago - teaching His word. Ten years ago I found myself as a youth intern at a small church in Boone, NC. I ministered to kids (I'm old enough to call them that now) and used the gifts and abilities I had to proclaim the gospel and God's word. Since that time I have gotten married, had kids, changed jobs, changed houses and changed churches...and yet that passion is still there (though I have suppressed it many times).
I guess I am writing all this because over the past week and especially last night in church my call to teach God's word was confirmed even more in my heart. Like pastor DA, I have found my heart afire with the desire to be in ministry and to pour out my life for the cause of Christ.
Am I scared? You betcha.
Am I excited? Yup.
Do I know what to do from here? Nope.
Like most leaps of faith...I have no idea where my foot will land. I am looking at going back to school as well as many other things that go along with a decision like this. My flesh continues to cry out that I am not cut out for this, that I am ill-equipped and kidding myself. And to those things I say, "correct...but God will prepare and equip me according to Him incredible riches."
In fact, last night as pastor DA was finishing up Ephesians 3 I found new encouragement from verse 20,
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"
It is the God of the universe who will equip me and anyone else for His purposes, whether it's full time ministry or a stay-at-home mom. Whatever God has given you to do He will provide the means to accomplish it.
So as I open my heart to you today I ask for your prayers. I am not sure what the Lord has in store for me and my family, but I do know that it will be a grand adventure. I guess when I created this video (see below) about Jeremiah 20:9 I had no idea what the Lord was about to do. But this verse is where I am now. Where will I end up? Only the Lord know.
1 comments:
Praying for u Mike!
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