Dear Friends,
Forgive me for being silent for so long. A lot has gone on in my life the last several months causing me to be very busy – who in this world is not busy (…hmmmm….).
Without further adieu, allow me to fill you in on the exciting events that have taken place!!!
No, I have not met a guy. (That’s what you were thinking weren’t you???) It’s not a man, but it is something very exciting and how can it not be with God in control and orchestrating everything! He is so incredibly awesome! I stand in awe at His faithfulness, loving care and tender dealings with this ol’ gal!
Since about the middle of February, beginning of March, I have felt that something in my situation would change – be it the coming of my man or a change of scenery in my current season of life. As the months ticked by, you can read my journal and see different times when the inner struggle of wanting something to change in my life and having contentment where God had me serving at the moment was strong. During these times I would claim the promise that God is in control, knew what was best for me and would carry out His perfect plan in His perfect timing. At times it was hard, but I held onto the truth that God sees the big picture and I only a small part of His plan for me. He would reveal what I needed to know when I needed to know…besides, He had to finish laying the groundwork for what He had in store.
Several times, the Lord brought Psalm 25:15 across my path, which says, "Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net." So I waited and kept my eyes on the Lord Jesus.
I couldn’t really see a whole lot of change in my situation for almost three months. During this time I had my eye on several opportunities of service – different ministries and such. I prayed and prayed about what God had, but continued to serve by taking care of my grandmother with Alzheimer’s Disease. She continued to go down hill, but like God being who He is, He sustained me.
The end of May there was a significant change in our situation with Grandma (my Mom and I had been a team for her care for the past fifteen months). She became more violent and out of control and so her children opted to place her in a home. Suddenly I found myself where I have been many times before – at a loss as to what God has for me. I prayed and prayed about my options and what He would have me to do. What’s next, Lord? But there were really no obvious open doors.
Little did I know (isn’t that always how it is?) that God had put me on the heart of a very special woman in my life. On April 22, four days, four days after grandma was put into a home, this Godly woman came up to me at church and asked if I was interested in serving in a different capacity in church with the tech ministry – at the time I was serving as a Greeter. I said I was and then she said that God had placed me on her heart and she had been praying for me for a month. (It always blesses me when God tells someone to pray for me and they do it, then tell me about it and I am totally caught off guard!) She then told me of a job/ministry opportunity that would be opening up in the church and was I interested. Isn’t God amazing!!!??? Had she approached me a week earlier what would I have said considering my position as caretaker with Grandma? God’s timing is always right on time!!!
To make a long story short, the Lord led me to apply for this position and wait on Him. It wouldn’t be until the end of June (27th) before I got a call to come in for an interview. (Two months after she talked to me!) I do, however, have to share with you how scared I was during that interview! I was shaking inside and continued to do so as I left the parking lot! I mean it, I don’t know what came over me, but my prospective boss was intimidating – nice as can be, but intimidating nonetheless! :-)
Four days later (what’s with the four day thing here???) I got a call and was asked if I would accept the job of being Pastor Crispin’s Assistant. Wow! Isn’t that amazing!!!??? Of course I said "Yes!" God opened the door clearly where He wanted me and then it was up to me to walk through it.
My first day at FAWC was July 5, 2005. In the weeks that followed my training and the ones that continue to simply fly by, I am so excited and so blessed by what God is doing in my life. I absolutely love my job and love the wonderful people I get to work with and work for. Let me tell you, Pastor is not intimidating to me anymore. He is a wonderful, Godly man who has a huge heart and loves to be about the Father’s business. It’s such an incredible thing for me to have this opportunity to be a part of furthering God’s kingdom in this way. Wow! Isn’t God awesome!? :-)
I continue to learn new things every day and it’s always so amazing to me to see how that all the things I’ve done leading up to this point have prepared me for this task. Isn’t that always the way it is? I mean I talk it all the time and believe it with all my heart, it’s just when God does something so awesome and so incredible and proves Himself true to His Word and His character, I stand in awe of How awesome He is. I just love it when God reveals Himself to me in such incredible ways. My love for Him truly grows more and more each day. Now I don’t always react to His love for me in the way that I should, but He’s always there waiting when I get my head back on straight and run into His loving embrace.
Listen to something encouraging I read the other day:
"It is amazing how patient God is in preparing her for her destiny. He knows how long it takes. He knows whom to send into her life. He knows what events it will take to bring her to a place of maturity in Him. He is emphatically her Lord." (T.D. Jakes)
Isn’t that cool!!!???
I’m sitting by my open window as I write this. It’s a cloudy, drizzling day. The rain has been very light yet steady for several hours now – something rare for the desert. It’s peaceful and still. Calm and soothing. And isn’t that just like our God? Sometimes He seems slow in carrying out His plan for our lives, yet it’s according to His steady and complete timing. He pours Himself out upon our dry parched hearts. His work and love is peaceful, calm and soothing. But we have to allow Him to do that work, to pour into our hearts His peace and love. We have to be open to what He has for us and trust Him with everything.
So be encouraged, my friends! Trust God completely with your life and watch what awesome things He will do! And as always, I would love to hear what He’s doing in your life! May you be blessed and enriched by His unique and awesome work in your life!
"Be still, and know that I am God…"
Psalm 46:10
