I’ve
had a spiritual growth spurt lately and I feel like it needs to be documented
here since my blog is called, “Gleaning From Life” after all. There have been
recent events in our life, that had they happened two years ago or even last
year, would have left me feeling down and discouraged. They may have even
caused me to give up on the ministry God has called us to. It seems I’ve come
to accept these waves of difficulty with a little more perspective and endure
with a little more courage.
1 I
STARTED WITH JESUS
Before
I even knew what a “Baptist” was, or what a missionary was, I was just a little
girl learning about who Jesus is and about His great love for me. It was in the
songs my mother sang, the books she read, the sermons my father preached and
the stories my Sunday School teacher taught. It was through this progressive
realization that I learned who Jesus was and fell in love with Him.
Soon after my realization of who Jesus was, I became aware of
my need for Him. He became my Savior and Lord. As a young adult He called me to
follow Him in service and with my whole heart I obeyed. Now He is my ROCK!
There have been times that I thought living out my calling
depended on the approval of another person or organization. God has been
faithful to teach me that even if I fail or other people fail me, He’ll just
pick me back up, dust me off and put me back to work. I started with Jesus and
I’ll be satisfied that His work in me is done when we meet face to face.
2 IT
WOULD BE AN ACT OF INGRATITUDE TO GIVE UP
This
morning I was working in our office at the apartment complex signing up
campers. Chad and Brother Chris pulled up with a fresh load of produce. When I
offered groceries to one of the moms she said, “This is amazing! What made you
and your husband decide to do all this?”
I
said, “well, for me it started with a bunch of oranges!” I told her how Chad
and I moved from Amarillo into one of the apartments at the back with our
children. We knew God wanted us to begin ministering in these apartments even
though at the time we weren’t any better off financially than our neighbors. We
were offering all we had, which was a Bible Study in our living room on Sunday
mornings.
That
year, when I finally got my first check from Wal Mart I was so thankful. On my
way out from work I stopped and bought a big bag of oranges for David, Sean and
Ruby. It had made me so sad that to not have the grocery budget we had in
Amarillo, and it felt very good that night to buy fresh fruit for our kids
again.
The
next morning when the kids in our apartments showed up for Bible study and saw
those oranges sitting in a bowl, they asked if they could have some. They were
hungry and it was truly an act of faith for me when I started cutting up those
oranges to share. Not only did our family continue to have enough, but we are
now able to bless every family in that complex with fresh fruit each day!
God
has provided so faithfully for our every need and in such miraculous ways. My
whole life is a testimony to the goodness of God. It would be “an act of ingratitude” as Dr.
E.V. Hill puts it, for me to give up of following Jesus. I’m committed to
carrying on in the ministry with every resource that He puts in our hands,
trusting always in His provision.
3 I
HAVEN’T ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION YET
The
crown of life is what I’m running for, nothing else God allows me to achieve in
life will compare to hearing my Savior say, “well done!”. There will be much to endure here on earth
and hopefully many times of joyful celebration, but as a follower of Christ
I’ll “ . . . run with perseverance the
race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and
perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews
12:1b-2
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