Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
It seems that I am seeing some of my dreams and desires happening right now in this season of my life.
How many years have I sang (sing, sang, sung?) the songs: "Here am I Lord. Take my hands and take my voice and use me Lord" and "I will go Lord where you lead me, I will hold your people in my heart." And I spoke words of surrender: "I am willing to be the woman you want me to be".
A couple of years ago, I got serious about being prepared for anything God called me to do. I studied out scripture and things like "Who am I in Christ" and "What is the Kingdom of God" and "What does it mean to have favor". I journaled all I learned and all God spoke to me, as a written reminder. I learned to sign to songs. And I learned to enjoy His Presence.
As a young teen, I felt a drawing from God to be more than just a pew sitter. I walked an aisle and "surrendered my life to special service" - whatever that meant - even though I didn't really surrender my heart until many years later. When as a young tired, timid, fearful mom, I led myself through the salvation prayer, told God I'd gone where he wanted me to go and immediately saw myself standing before people. I remember saying to God, "Well, Ok. But you'll have to do it". Since then my love and passion has been studying the Word - I was like Jeremiah, "When I found your words, I ate them" and I so enjoy leading ladies Bible Studies. There have also been times, maybe even years, when I thought that God surely must be finished with me and could never use me again.
BUT GOD.
But God had a plan. Here I am now, 1300 miles from home, 99 miles from the Canadian border, in North Dakota. I am so humbled by the favor I have here. And He's given me the boldness that I have been asking for and favor I didn't ask for. I went to a Community Ladies Bible study and have been asked to lead one of the discussion groups. I am attending another study in the small town where I live, where 5 precious widow ladies are learning to study the Bible. I've found that the laundromat is a great place for witness opportunities. I've prayed for healing for a woman in a bar where she was being blessed with a fundraiser and I've prayed for other people in unlikely places. I'm volunteering at the Salvation Army and have been offered a job there. I've visited churches in Williston searching for a place to worship and be fed. One Sunday morning, I asked God where I should go. He clearly said, "If you are going to walk the streets of Alexander and pray for revival, you need to go to church here." So I have been attending the Nazarene Church and have been asked to sfill in for the Sunday School teacher for the next 4 weeks. God is doing above and beyond all I could ever think or imagine. It is so much fun!
When I look at that last paragraph, I see lots of "I" and "me", but I know that my destiny is not and will never be about me. I don't know exactly what my purpose is here, besides making disciples, but I am scattering seeds of faith, love, hope, healing, and the Word.
Hallelujah!
God is so good!
