Responding in Obedience

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:

Who should I send?
Who will go for Us?

I said:

Here I am. Send me.  -Isaiah 6:8 (HSCB)  

Our Senior Pastor Kevin praying over my wife and I

On March 30, 2014, my wonderful better half and I came forward at the end of our church's 9:30 service responding to God's call on our lives.  For a few years, God had been speaking this into my life and my future, that he wanted me to serve Him full-time in vocational ministry.  I always had doubts, or giving God answers as to why it wasn't me.  Then when I accepted this could be in my future, it became about timing.  See in my mind, I had thought that this would be something after I was done with my "working" or "professional" life.  However, in the opening months of 2014, God really began to speak to me about responding to His call now.  Even though it made no sense (more on that in a moment), it became very clear that to be obedient, we needed to respond.  Since we came forward and made public our decision, God has affirmed our decision.  The peace that comes after a decision like this has been the biggest affirmation, but there are other circumstantial things that have happened that have made it clear that we are stepping in obedience to God.

But back to the "how it doesn't make sense to me."

(1) It doesn't make sense now because I just changed jobs back in July.  Well, God spoke to me back in July "If you ever were going to do what I really want you to do, you had to leave Chick-fil-A eventually."

(2) It doesn't make sense because we have four kids, lots of bills, high medical needs, one income, my wife homeschools and ministers to our children and financially, this doesn't seem to look right to us - in our mind. Answer: But to God, this makes perfect sense - even in the areas of job, finances and children.  Where God guides, He provides.  We are going to have to trust in His provision daily (Give us this day our daily bread).  This response doesn't mean I'm quitting my job tomorrow, and I may be where I'm at for several more years, or several more months, only God knows.  Responding is also what Isaiah did in the scripture mentioned at the beginning.  "Here I am.  Send me."  That is the desire of our heart.  When God is ready to move us, just as He did in July, He'll move us.  He will provide the means for my kids for college.  He will provide the means for medical care.  He will enable us to pay for Seminary. He will provide all of our needs (and sometimes some wants, too).  A verse I've been meditating on, but not practicing well at times is this year is John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."  If God is truly calling us, just like everyone else we see in scripture, He will make a way.  Remember Gideon with the 300 men?  Joshua at Jericho?  Abraham and Isaac?  I know all of those are completely different circumstances where God is communicating different things to us, but in all circumstances, they seemed impossible.  We are reminded in the story of Mary that "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).  I heard a message recently about this - that God STARTS with the impossible and goes from there.  Amen.

(3) It doesn't make sense because of my past.  I could list hundreds of scriptures that totally refute this, but in my human mind, it still is a challenge.  How can God us me?  He's proven that to me over and over again, see my testimony, three mission trips to Romania, many areas of service in church and in the community.  One can also look at scripture and see that God used a little shepherd boy to slay a Giant (David).  God used a man with a speech problem to lead His people out of slavery (Moses).  God used a very old man who struggled with alcohol to save the human race during the flood (Noah).  God used a man who denied Jesus three times in His greatest hour of need, to bring 3,000 to Salvation on the day of Pentecost (Peter).  God used a teenage girl, unwed and engaged to a carpenter to bring into the world our Savior (Mary). The scripture I'm reminded of  is

"But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.  So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor 12:9-10)

See God works with us most when we think He'll work with us the least.  I just pray I can remain obedient to have Him use me the most.

While I have some thoughts, we don't yet know exactly what area of ministry we'll be in, but the great news is that we don't have to know today. This is a journey and we'll follow God's call and lead day by day.  We also have a great church staff and family that will lead, support and love us on this journey, too.

What's exciting is that I'm one of a few men that have responded recently to a call to full-time ministry in our church.  This is an answer to prayer of our church leadership.  I think its only the beginning.  We have begun praying for each other and talking regularly.

I plan on blogging my ministry journey on this site.  You may be thinking, "how can I help?"  We would love to have your prayers.  Here's how you can pray for us today:

• That God would protect our family from spiritual attacks.  We have been under attack even before this, and since March, it has increased.
• That God would grow my wife and I closer to Him and to each other
• That we would trust in God's perfect provision and perfect timing - especially as it pertains to work, Seminary, ministry direction and timing, expenses for our kids' college and school.
• That God would provide time for me to take advantage of Seminary opportunities and some specific opportunities to be mentored at our church.
• That God would keep our family time and priorities in balance during this transitional season.
• That when God reveals where and when, our family would be clear, united and faithful to Him.

Thank you and May God bless you abundantly!