I could almost hear the Heavenly Laugh. Tonight I've traveled home late from a women's event in Winston Salem, NC only to realize that my devotion "Getting to Where You're Going" is being sent out tomorrow morning bright and early.
Having written the devotion over a year ago, I needed a refresher on my own words. How these things come back to haunt you!!! If you didn't read my blog post from Monday, you can go here to see the irony.
Yes, Lord, I hear you!
Do. The. Work.
First James. Then Beth. Followed by The Hole in Our Gospel. Added to by The Reluctant Prophet. Finally, my own finger wagging in my completely amazed face.
I'm being called to action--to work. Specifically, I'm being called to reach out and give aid to hurting, devalued and abused women. I started to give you my actions steps, but I think they're things to be done in secret--at least for right now. When I have some stories that glorify God instead of myself, I promise that I'll share. In the meantime, I promise that these not-so-subtle shoves from God have gotten me out of my talking phase into a doing phase.
You have a call too. Maybe it's to be more intentional about Bible stories and prayer with your children at bedtime. Maybe it's to sacrificially care for a sick family member. Maybe it's to build a church in a third world country. Maybe it's to go deeper with God by starting your day with Him. There's no calling that's more significant than another. There's no work that's more important than another if it's done in obedience to Jesus.
God is speaking. I am listening. No more talking about it. Today I'm doing it.
I'd love to hear your "Do. The. Work." God stories. Let's glorify Him by sharing what He's done! I'll share one of mine on Friday.
Posts
10 comments:
Love this! Speak, Lord!! To us all!! Empower us to follow Your leading!!
Love you, my friend!!
Amy,
I am so glad I clicked on your devotion this morning and read it! Thank you for your honesty and transparency.
God bless your ministry, and THANK YOU for reminding me of what is truly important in this crazy, busy life! :)
Praying for you as you follow Him faithfully.
Love,
Tammy Nischan
Amy,
While I nursed my sweet baby back to sleep in the wee hours of this morning, I was burdened by the weight of our little family's struggle. I began thinking through solutions and thought, after putting Charlotte back in her bed, that I would enjoy a few more hours rest. But the wheels in my head began to spin with ideas and I felt God saying, "you can do this. See that man sleeping there, you can minister to him and take this burden off his shoulders." After a few moments, I knew God was calling me to spend a pre-dawn hour or two with Him. So I quietly got out of bed, slipped on my robe and grabbed my phone, simply to prevent my alarm from waking him up. Before I even sat down at our table, I had begun to read your devotion in my E-mail. Talk about affirmation! Get to work. He has given me the tools and the inspiration and He just wants me to START.
Thank you so much for allowing God to use you!
Much love and many blessings,
Laura
This one spoke to me, too! I've been awake since 2:15 with God on my mind. How I feel for the mom with the sweet baby! I just had surgery for breast cancer and I can see God's hand all over it now preparing me for the past 20 years or more. I've had a peace since day 1 when I had an "only God" prompt to check things out and feel strongly I'll be fine once the rolloer coaster pulls back into the station.
My 10 year old wants to write a book together about it so other kids and their families would know what to expect, and I feel God laying tons of ideas and bringing memories to mind that need to be shared. But really, at 2:15? Sometimes I think it's the only time He can get my attention. So, for right now we'll be taking lots of notes and once healed we'll be ready to "do". For now, it's just updating by emails.
Thanks for letting God use you to encourage us to start!
Amy,
tslk about God getting his point across! Wow, I never cease to be amazed at how he uses you ladies to speak to and confirm His direction in my life. I just finished reading Becoming More..by Lysa Terkeurst, with the last session about My Calling, and now this devo. Last spring I had a thyroidectomy for Thyroid Cancer. Like the previous post, I was able to see God and the work He had been doing in my life, His preparation and presence, so clearly during this time. During my time of isolation from others, I felt Him calling me to start a blog to encourage others and share as God taught me. I felt a conviction like never before to be faithful with what He entrusted me with. I also felt led to start writing my story, as 'anonymous' has. All the questions in your devo are questions I continually ask myself-doubting whether my time spent writing is time well spent. But I know if for no other reason than to record what God has done in my life as a reminder to me, and to draw me close to him, then it is time well spent.
Lysa reminded me of the importance of making the ONE who called me my #1 passion, and not the pursuit of the calling. That He doesn't need me to accomplish great things for Him, but to allow His greatness to enter me, change me, and be revealed through me. Now this reminder to Do the Work. Last week I was offered a job that was a good opportunity and it seemed llke the right decision to take it, but in my heart I knew it was not the best choice. I knew that it would pull my away from what He was calling me to..my husband, my kids, and my time to write and encourage others. My husband could see the turmoil in my heart and the stress it was causing me just to think about it, and said,"This is obviously not something you are supposed to do."
Next week marks 1 year since my surgery, and my story still has a long way to go, so with the encouragement from you and 'anonymous' I think I will get to work this afternoon! Thanks so much!
Kate
I'm Anonymous! It's Karla and my email is sgthuey@fuse.net I hit the worng button and forgot to leave a name. I admit I'm computer challenged!
Yeah for reaching the one year mark!!
You all are blessing MY socks off this morning!
Laura, bless you as God gives you inspiration in the middle of the night. I remember those days with tears as my senior gets ready to leave home.
Anonymous, I'm blown away that God is calling your 10-year-old even as He's calling you. You need to let us all know when that book comes out. It's going to be amazing.
Kate, when I read your sentence, "But I know if for no other reason than to record what God has done in my life as a reminder to me, and to draw me close to him, then it is time well spent." I teared up. You get it. This is all for an audience of One.
Thank you for sharing your dreams with me. I'm inspired.
This is the 2nd blog, I read about how God wants to be involved in my my everyday alone time with him and that's what I did this morning as he woke me up at 5:00 am to spend time with him. He wants me to do his will, you see I've been working with the same company for over 27 yrs and well 2 months ago to the day I was laid off, although I've been kind of bored and restless at work and so I started praying to God at the end of Christmas and even asked my bible class in January to pray for me on this so when God answered my prayer, I was kind of taken back. Although I know He has a purpose for me, and I know I'm Loved, He's been putting in my heart to spend alone time with him, and I'm trying to get back into spending time with him for direction in my life. God is faithful. So I know I have to trust him and what he will do to accomplish his will for my life, although I have an interview for a job today, either way I have to resign to God's will and relinquish my dream, no matter how I think he wants to work in me for my noble reason's. And Embrace God's design for my life. He has a purpose for me. We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared long in advance for us to do. Amen. (Eph.2:10). I need to to follow and obey where He leads me.I'll say it again, I just to need to follow as He leads.
I am new to the Proverbs 31 "Encouragement for Today" and actually just signed up yesterday. Thank you, Amy, for todays message - it was just what God wanted me to hear! I have been in the process of writing a book and am now revising it for the publisher - your post helped me see that it is a work in progress - God will help me finish - and that some days it's OK not to have accomplished a lot. Thank you that I feel still on the 'right track' and that God's timing and plan is perfect!
Sounds like God is speaking loud and clear to you Amy...and to us all! Thanks for the inspiration to work and the encouragement that we all have a call. Probably a good idea to check in with what God is calling us to on a regular basis. Every day for the small calls and at least monthly for the bigger picture? And then get to work!!
Post a Comment