I was reminded today that the Lord has given me a story to share. I just have to trust that it will be used for his good and for his glory. During the opening talk, I deviated a bit from the script and shared what I felt the Holy Spirit was prompting me to share. This it the link for the audio recording: http://www.cbsclass.org/
The bible
tells us, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has
passed away, behold the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)" I stand before you today a new creature in
Christ. I used to be an athiest,
depressed, and suicidal. I finally gave
my life to Christ 10 years ago, after a long bout with a mysterious illness
that caused daily pain without much hope of a cure. In my utter brokenness I cried out to Jesus to
save me and accepted him into my heart. Eventually,
the Lord miraculously healed me and transformed me from the inside out.
The process of transformation in me is
still ongoing. Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in me will
carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Each day the spirit works within me to mold
me into the person the Lord wants me to be -- into a version of myself He can fully use. I am learning that obedience plays a key
role in this process. It is not
coincidence that God wanted me to talk about obedience on the very day we study
about Abraham. Abraham's faith and
obedience deepened his relationship with God, but it also had profound
implications for God's kingdom. Where
would we be today if Abraham had not obeyed?
From Abraham's lineage came our very Lord, Jesus! Obedience has a ripple effect that can impact
others for God's glory. Have you ever
thought about that? Have you thought
about how God can use your obedience?
I have been thinking about this a
lot lately. The past few months have
been very difficult for my family, especially my brother, Brian, and my sister-in-law, Natalie. As
many of you already know, my 3 year old nephew Nathan was diagnosed with a
large brain tumor at the beginning of September. He had surgery to remove the tumor. During the surgery he had a stroke which left
him paralyzed on his left side. Doctors
are still unsure about what to do with the remaining 20% of the tumor. . . But the Lord is so good and Nathan has regained mobility and is now able
to walk and will be returning home this weekend!
I think from the beginning God knew
the role he wanted me to play in Brian and Natalie's life and in Nathan's story. But to be able to perform my role to the
fullest, I first needed to learn
obedience one step at a time. . . Whether
it was to be baptized, share my testimony, leave a career in clinical
psychology to be a stay at home mom, lead bible study with young moms, start a
couples bible study with neighbors and my brother and sister-in-law, or become a
children's teacher, and speak in front of all you -- each time I put aside fear
and stepped out in obedience on what the Lord called me to do, God has been faithful and my relationship with him has grown
deeper. Even though it is hard for me to
obey the Lord sometimes, I find that
what God has planned for me, although sometimes difficult, is also more
rewarding than anything I could have ever imagined or planned for myself.
Our steps of obedience are never
isolated incidents. God always has a
larger purpose for them that we cannot see in the moment, but if we remain
faithful, he reveals it to us. He says
in John 14:15, 21, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. . .
whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I too will love him and reveal myself to him." I believe that the Lord has been revealing
himself to me and bringing to light the purpose for a lot of the things he
called me to do up until now. . .purposes I never quite understood. There are too many examples to get into in
this short amount of time, but suffice it to say that as I look back over the
years I have been a follower of Christ, it is amazing how the Lord has used my
obedience not only to mature my faith, but also to strategically place the
right people around Brian, Natalie, Nathan, and our family, to support us
during this time.
For example, when the Lord called me
to start a moms small group, I had no idea that one of the women in that group
would ultimately serve a vital role in getting Natalie connected to a bible
study that would be so instrumental in her faith walk! The women in that group poured into Natalie! And their husbands poured into Brian. They watered the seeds that we had been
planting for years, and helped those seeds bear fruit in Brian and Natalie's
lives. As a result, today Brian and
Natalie are spiritually strong to endure this crisis, and glorifying the Lord
all the while. Three years ago I would
not have been able to tell you, without a doubt, that they were saved. . . and
had the tumor been found then, they would have been ill equipped to deal with
it, let alone glorify God. They knew
about God, Jesus, and attended church, but I don't believe that they truly
accepted him as Lord and Savior -- not until the past couple of years. And then God pushed them in their faith hard
and fast to equip them for this hardship.
I have never witnessed faith that
blossomed and grew so strong so quickly.
Sometimes I pray to the Lord and ask
him to take the remaining tumor away and heal Nathan completely -- because I
have personally witnessed God's miraculous healing grace in my own life and I
know it can happen. But the Lord tells
me to trust in him, and wait patiently.
That this is bigger than us. . . I cannot deny the good that is coming from all
of this situation for God's glory. It is
the promise of Romans 8:28, "In all
things God will work for the good of those who love him, and who are called
according to his purpose." The Lord
placed it on my heart to start a FB page for Nathan -- to be a central means of
communication and updates, but also as a tool for evangelism. Close to 800 people are currently members of
that page, and they are sharing it with friends and family who are not on
FB. It is amazing to see the body of Christ rise
up to encourage and support their own -- so humbling! People all over the world, in countries and
states we have never been to, are praying, and God has been hearing these prayers! Over 900 of these bracelets have been bought and are being worn that say, Praying for Nathan.
And these bracelets are sparking up conversations about the Lord EVERYWHERE! My daughter wore one to school and she said 15 of her young friends asked her about it and she told them Nathan's story and told a few of them about Jesus. It gives me such chills to think about how the Lord is using this situation for his glory! I am in awe of him!
And these bracelets are sparking up conversations about the Lord EVERYWHERE! My daughter wore one to school and she said 15 of her young friends asked her about it and she told them Nathan's story and told a few of them about Jesus. It gives me such chills to think about how the Lord is using this situation for his glory! I am in awe of him!
So what is my point? It is this:
No matter where you are in your faith walk, even though it can be scary
to step out into the unknown, each time you step out in obedience, it pleases
God. Obedience is faith and trust in
action. Each step you take will bring
you closer to God. You will be more attuned to Him working in
your life. Practicing obedience is like
training your spiritual muscles. Each
time you obey, it makes it easier for you to obey next time. Luke 16:10 says, "He who is faithful with
little things, he will be faithful in large things." You never know how God will use your
obedience to bless others or to further his kingdom. How God uses your obedience for his glory
will be so awesome that you cannot even boast, because you will know that all
the good is from the Lord and not from your own works. God's
got a big plan, and he has designated a special role for each of us to play. He does not need us to accomplish his
purposes, but he chooses to include us.
What an honor and privilege that is!
But God can't use us unless we obey.
God knows we won't always get this obedience thing right -- If you are like me, you'll probably get it
wrong more times than you want to admit.
But that is ok! It takes
practice. But God is so full of grace
that when we get it wrong he will comfort us and love us still. And he is so patient with us and gives us
many chances. What is the Lord perhaps
calling you to do today or this week?
Whatever it is he is, he will give you the strength and courage to do
it. His grace is sufficient. Just step out in faith and watch his glory
unfold.
