iShineInMinistry

Matthew 28:19- Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…

I am sitting in front of my computer typing during one of our breaks as we host a Pastors’ conference in Mexico, thinking about all of the things the Lord exhorts us to do in our journey of faith. This week has been filled with God’s faithfulness, protection, provision and sovereign timing from start to finish and I am so glad I was able to be part of this amazing week of ministry. I was added to the trip last minute and was not on the original list of people to serve at the conference; thankfully at the last minute a spot was made available for me to attend.

My first thought was excitement that I would be able to come to Mexico, visit with the missionaries and help with all of the details of executing the conference. However, as the days drew closer, I knew that I missed informational meetings and that there were so many other things I was supposed to be doing. This realization brought a feeling of apprehension. I thought about saying ‘never mind’ about coming a couple of times (especially as I packed the night before and had so many other things to get in order before our 8:00am departure the next day), but I felt God telling me, “Just Go”!

If I didn’t go, I would not have been able to be used by God in such amazingly different ways than my normal way of helping (which is mostly administrative). I would not have received this special time of fellowship with all of the other volunteers that were able to attend and help. I would not have been able to be a blessing to the Pastor’s wives that entrusted us on the Children’s Ministry team to care for their little ones as they got to have a time of refreshing and I would not have been able to see God make a divine appointment with a deaf girl in the midst of her discouraging situation to show His faithfulness.

When God gives you a task, the first reaction should always be to ‘just go’. I know that I sometimes lean more towards planning and using the spiritual gift of administration that I have been blessed with to make sure that every single detail is in perfect order. If I would have took a step back out of what God led me to do this week, I would not have gotten to see Him bless me in a whole other way, completely different from the many times before when He has shown up in the middle of mayhem. We need to always be ready to let the Spirit lead and direct us to just go in a new direction, a sometimes-unknown direction that makes us have nothing else but faith. These moments allow us to see what an awesome and intricately detailed God we serve and then allow His great commission to be accomplished in new and exciting ways.

Proverbs 16:9- A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Do you 'just go' when God directs you to do something? Are you willing to serve God and fulfill His great commission in new ways that aren’t familiar to you? Do you always lean on your own plans instead of God’s prompting when you are doing the work of the ministry?

Psalm 48:3 God is in her palaces;

He is known as her refuge.

Psalm 46:5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved...

Before you say, "Oh my gosh, she is totally using these scriptures out of context!" please note that I do know that "her" is referring to Israel. These scriptures also need to refer to us and how people see us as FGGs (Fabulous Girls of God). Don't you want to be known as the girl that loves The Lord by everyone who knows you? Or even by a stranger that you randomly encounter?

When people come to your office for ministry reasons or even just meet you at a cafe for tea, what impression do you want them to have? Is your heart's desire to hear someone say, "she is just full of the joy of The Lord! What faith she has!" Or is the lasting impression you want someone to have more like, "dude, she has expensive taste!"

What do you fill your heart and mind with? These are the things that will come out of your mouth the most. This is why we guard our hearts and also fill our minds with things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and are full of virtue and praiseworthy. If these are what we focus on- the things of God, this is what we will be known for, by believers and nonbelievers alike!

I love the scriptures above because they remind me that God is everywhere I am...my home, my workplace and the ministries I oversee, my situation (whether good or not so pleasant)... Those passages also remind me to have unshakable faith and be a woman that can't be moved or tossed to and fro by every wave of doctrine. I want God's love to overflow out of me so that others will want to have that joy and ask where it comes from. I want my unsaved friends to say, "oh my gosh, that's the perfect place for you," when I tell them I work at a church and help people every day. I want God to be evident in my life.

Let's delight ourselves in the Lord each day and let Him be in our palaces (or apartments)! Let's be known as ladies that love Jesus, that are always ready to pray and that want lives that praise the Lord and serve Him with gladness.

What lasting impression do you want people to have when they encounter you? What is in the midst of your heart? Your thoughts?

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

I love the joy of serving in full-time ministry at a church, being able to see, interact and intercede for the people of God all day, every day. I love talking to the youth and young women, I love reading Bible stories to toddlers or cuddling a teething baby...or sharing a scripture just when someone needs it. I also love that I don't have to be perfect to serve at the church...because I so am NOT perfect at all!

Sometimes it seems as if people want their church workers to be these prefect people that say the right thing, pray the perfect prayer and always look like nothing bad could possibly go wrong in their lives. This unrealistic expectation can cause two major issues- pressure to perform for the person working in full-time ministry as well as a person in ministry who seems like they can't relate to anyone that has real-life issues.

How can someone that never has trials meet you where you are in your situation? How can someone that is "perfect" all the time show compassion for the sin someone perpetually struggles with? A transparent ministry member that shows they depend on and rely on the same God as everyone else is the one that impacts more for Christ. That person is real, sincere and genuine; she (or he) is someone that you can tell is a work in progress, but one that also trusts in The Lord with all her (or his) heart.

As you continue in the work of the ministry and remember that God is still doing the work in you, encourage others with the fact that you aren't where you used to be, but still have a long way to go on your journey of faith just like they have a long way to go. Be that light that shines love and sincerity as you bless those God puts in your path and run this race with endurance. Be that source of encouragement as you also play the cheerleader in the lives of others seeking The Lord. It's okay that you are the imperfect hands and feet doing the will of God, we all are- otherwise we would not need a Savior. As you love the people of God, show who you really are and Christ continues the good work in your life, you will be that example of one that loves Jesus and serves with sincerity- a transparent person that wants more of God...who gets the blessing of working in full-time ministry. Let people know that you did not get there because you're perfect and you've earned that position, but that you are there because you also know how if feels as God is completing the work until the day of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:9

not of works, lest anyone should boast.

You're not perfect, but you are in ministry...praise The Lord for His grace as you serve with gladness and do His will.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear… 

This week during the ladies’ bible study that I attend, we talked about how God was willing to be vulnerable and come into the world humble and as a baby to save the world. We discussed His amazing love and what His love should reveal to us and provoke us to as followers of Jesus. I remember thinking in response to Christ’s love, we should love fully, freely, fearlessly, unconditionally and sincerely. God sent Jesus to save the world that He loved and He knew the following things even as His love compelled Him do to this:

1) Some would reject His love and say they did not want Him

2) Some would be completely flighty in their love and it would be conditional based on their present circumstance

3) We all would mess us up often, which would not reflect the same kind of perfect love He showed to us

I know that I get so upset and frustrated when I show someone love and they decide they want nothing to do with me. I wonder if I would still do kind actions even if I knew the outcome would be rejection, rather than appreciation or thankfulness. Sometimes, people do not show their love in a way that makes me feel like they truly love me. I know that my love language is ‘acts of service’. I think about the times people have shown me love through ‘words of encouragement’ and wonder if I was annoyed that their love was not shown in a way that I prefer…

When people wrong us, break promises, lie or do horrific things over and over again, do we still show that same love? This is the kind of love Jesus shows us…ALL THE TIME! When I get annoyed because I do not have a job yet, I am not showing Him love. When I decide I would rather online shop than read His word and I am flighty, He still loves me. When I say something snotty (again), He is still there with kind, loving arms, ready to redirect me to the place that I need to be spiritually. He never decides that He is just done with me because I am not worth it. His perfect love is not only based on if I am “being cooperative” or a “good girl”, He always loves, even when I do not show that love in a selfless way that does not have ulterior motives. I wonder how many times our unloving actions have trampled on the cross of Jesus’ perfect love. I wonder if we realize how incredibly perfect God’s love truly is; He takes us back every single time. I hope that our hearts will choose to love as fully as our Lord’s, even if it means being vulnerable, rejected or ignored sometimes.

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

I want to challenge all of us this week to try and love totally unconditionally, even if the love is rejected, we are treated unkindly or if someone continues to make the same mistake over and over again. Record how it makes you feel, then pray to the Lord for a heart that loves Him fully, completely and with total devotion.