"God May Be Up To Something!!"

(Warning...this is going to be a long one!)

A few months ago, Duane watched a DVD in his Men's Group at our church, of Andy Stanley speaking about, "Praying Big". He came home excited and challenged, and shared the message with me. Together we committed to start praying big prayers about some things in our lives.

One of the prayers I have been praying is that God would take me out of my cozy, small comfort zone, and do a new work in my life! It is scary to pray that way! I mean it! What will God ask of me, if I tell him that I am ready to move up!! The saying goes, "Be careful what you ask for... it will surely come to you!"

I had NO idea what God was getting ready to do! So, while God was preparing the way, I was praying big!

In May, we attended a class given through our church called, "Network". It is a class that helps identify what your spiritual gifts are and includes your personality strengths and ministry passion. It basically identifies where you are most likely going to be effective in ministry!
I walked away from that class realizing that I had a ministry passion burning deep in my heart, and it had been quietly smoldering there, unrecognized, for many years.

I still had NO idea what God was getting ready to do! I was praying big!

The next weekend, I attended the Beth Moore Conference in Boise. It was an amazing time of worship and Bible teaching from the book of 2 Timothy!
One of the things that Beth taught us that weekend, is that God will take our pain and turn it into our passion, and He will take our misery and turn it into our ministry!! When she said that....a light bulb went off in my brain. Pain/Misery into Passion/Ministry......Ministry Passion!! She shared that it is in the intersection of Passion and Ministry where a Holy God dwells!! That is where the fire takes place. She pleaded with us to "fan your flame!!" (I could hardly sit still!!)

I still had no idea what God was getting ready to do! I was just praying big!

I am doing a Summer Bible Study (Beth Moore) on the Psalms of Ascent, with some friends. I was sitting quietly on a particular morning, studying that day's lesson. There was a question that asked me to share how and when I came to know Christ as my Saviour. I started to give the appropriate answer, and it was like a streak of lightening, bolted across the sky above me!!
The answer to the question caused me to realize for the first time EVER, that at the age of 14, my life of pain and misery had ended and it was in that same year, that I now believe my Ministry Passion was born!!
The realization that morning, will be a moment that I will never forget!

I had NO idea what God was getting ready to do....I was still praying big prayers!!

So a couple of weeks ago, Duane and I sat down with Lynn (Ministries Pastor), and she went over what we identified in Network Class. I shared what my passion is, and she wrote it all down. She asked me to be praying about how God would want to use me and also that I would know and sense God leading me.
I got in the car to come home and thought (prayed)........"Ok, God! I am a willing vessel. I am available to you. I don't know what you have in mind for me....just know that I am ready!"
I seriously thought that it would be weeks, maybe even months before anything BIG happened!! I went to bed that night, not knowing what God had planned for the next morning!!

I woke up, did my morning doings, and sat down to read my emails. I saw one from Lynn (Ministries Pastor). I clicked on it and this was the opening line.......

"Hey Sheila!! You will never believe what just happened!" "God may be up to something!!"

I went on to read the email, and sat in utter shock at what God had just done! All of the things that had been happening over the last month, had led up to that single moment!!

Lynn shared a story with me, and then went on to say, that the staff believes that "this" is for me! She asked me to pray about it, and talk to Duane about it!! :) Believe me....I did both, fervently!!

So, that brings me to this moment. I have just today said "Yes" to what God has placed in my hands! I am so overwhelmed at how BIG this is!! I started out being so nervous, and I have to say that I still am...but I am also full of peace! I don't know where this will take me, but I know who is leading me! This is my offering of obedience.

I am not going to share details, because it is still very new and personal. Please just pray that I will seek God's face every single step of the way!!

Philippians 1:6 (Message)........
"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."