Archive for the ‘Trust’ Category

Have you ever?

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

A Friend posed these questions;
Have you ever felt so alone that your heart hurt?
Have you ever experienced a time when you felt even God had left you?
Have you ever felt the sting of rejection and wondered why?
Have you ever just sat and cried for what seems no reason at all?
Have you ever……

That’s the way my week began.

We have a major event, the Women’s Conference, scheduled for this Friday and Saturday. On the Sunday following the conference, we have guest female OUTSTANDING preachers, usually from out of town, to preach during our 3 morning services. We are a mega-church, so this is a mega-sized event. Being married to one on pastoral staff has its privileges. We have reserved seating, usually in the front, and there are catered receptions. Because I am Pastor T’s wife, it is not expected that I volunteer to work, but, I always like to serve. I volunteered to serve, attended the volunteers weekly meetings over the past 2 months, but, as of Monday the leaders had nothing for me to do. I was kind of down about that.

Then Tuesday, after another visit with the foot doctor, and yet another bad report of my declining condition, I left the office feeling depressed. So I went to Dillard’s to clear my head before I go to my husband’s office to drop the news on him. It was one of those got to tell him to his face things. By the way, a Peter Nygard jacket did call out my name, so I took it out of display misery and purchased it. LOL! I’ve never made depression purchases, so I realized just how messed up my mind was.

I was thinking about my “call” and my “condition”. I began to question my call. Why would God call me to preach when I am in so much pain? Why is my condition worsening? So, I had my 10 minute pity party and then headed to the church.

When I entered the church building, headed to my husband’s office, I was immediately stopped and called into Bishop’s office by his assistant. I’m thinking what did I do? What now?! Well, he needed me to reschedule Bishop’s preaching date at the Prison. So, I’m like WHEW!

But then he said something that put my “call” and “condition” back into perspective. He said, “Bishop wants you to preach this Sunday during the 10 o’clock service.” WHAT?!!!! WOW!!!! What an honor! This is HUGE! God knew I needed encouragement. But he did abundantly, exceeding, above all that I could ask or think. The opportunity for an associate minister to preach during a Sunday service says a lot about the preacher. Bishop only selects the best, especially on this particular weekend—-so, I’m like REALLY??!!! Basically, God confirmed the call in a way I wasn’t expecting.

And so it finally adds up why my service wasn’t needed this year in the capacity I thought I’d be in. I wasn’t needed to serve at the conference, usually as an armor bearer to our guest, because I will be one of Sunday’s “guest speakers.”

So, when I got to my hubbie’s office, I went back to depression mode, only for a few minutes. I needed to justify purchasing that jacket. LOL!

Posted in Ministry Woes, Preacher, Trust | 2 Comments »

Who’s Your Guide?

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
—Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

Five months into my daughter’s lengthy illness, I had to make a telephone call to my parents who lived in another state. It was difficult to tell them that their precious granddaughter’s surgery did not go well, and she was about to have a third surgery, all within one month’s time. Hearing the urgency and uncertainty in my voice, they immediately traveled to visit her. It was late in the evening when they arrived at my home, and upon their insistence, I loaded them up in my car, carefully leading my mother, who is blind. We were off to the hospital.

My parents waited in the hospital’s lobby while I parked the car. Once I entered the hospital I grabbed my mother by the hand to lead her to the elevator. Immediately, my dad grabbed my mom and said it was his job to lead her. So, we got into the elevator headed to my daughter’s floor. While riding in the elevator, I began to warn my parent’s of my daughter’s appearance. Her body was very weak and she had lost a great deal of weight. The news was very unsettling for my father and caused him to become even more anxious to see his granddaughter.

When the elevator door opened, I exited followed by my father. As I turned to remind my father to get my mother, the elevator doors began to close. In the excitement, my dad had forgotten about leading my mom. We did manage to retrieve my mom, who was a little shaken up by the whole ordeal. After all, she was in an unfamiliar place. My mom trusted my Dad to lead her safely to her destination. My mom failed to realize that Daddy could not lead her in a place that he had never been, and his emotional state made him even more unreliable.

Faith in God requires dependency on the One who has seen your destination. Only God can guide you to a place you’ve never been. Whether it’s a new business venture, teaching a Bible Study, or purchasing a new home, God wants you to trust in and depend on Him. God wants you to become his dependent child. In other words, don’t place your faith in man’s leading (as in mom’s case, who would leave you alone in an elevator), but totally lean to God for direction. God is a reliable guide. Sometimes we may not understand the route God is taking us on, but remember, we must walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, we are blind and can’t see the pathway to our destination, but, with God as our reliable guide, He will lead us if we allow him to order our every step.

Something to think about:
1. Has there ever been a time when you did not totally depend on God’s direction? What was the outcome?
2. What hinders Christians from trusting God?
3. Think of a time where you trusted God completely? What could have happened if you had tried to “assist” God?

Posted in Living, Trust | 2 Comments »